§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what new courses on job-finding will be provided for steel rundown areas; where they will be located; and what additional resources will be made available for them;
(2) what new work assessment and re-orientation courses are to be provided for steel rundown areas; where they will be located; when they will commence; and what extra resources will be made available for them.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1980, c. 91–2]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, in addition to the provision it is making already in the areas affected by steel closures to help unemployed work people find employment, it will be prepared to make available from its existing resources up to about 400 places on courses specifically aimed to help redundant steelworkers who have special difficulty in finding alternative employment. These assessment/re-orientation courses are intended to help steelworkers who are found to have particular difficulty in assessing the opportunities for employment and retraining available to them, and who need help in looking for new employment. They will contain the additional provision in job-finding referred to in the statement on remedial measures for areas affected by the steel rundown made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on 19 June.—[Vol. 986. c. 1784–5.] These courses will be run, where the need for them 240W is found to exist, in the areas of Consett, Corby, Llanwern, Port Talbot and Scunthorpe.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what expansion of retraining facilities is to take place in steel rundown areas.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1980, c. 91–2]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it expects that the training provision for which it has planned, together with the additional measures referred to in a statement on the steel industry made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on 19 June—[Vol. 986, c. 1784–5]—will be adequate to meet the needs in the areas affected. The position will be kept under close review by the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment which new courses on small business training are to be started in steel rundown areas; which courses on how to start small businesses are to expanded in the same areas; and if there is to be an increase in resources available to the Manpower Services Commission for these purposes.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1980, c. 91–2]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it proposes to make available from its existing resources. Small business courses in, or near to, the area affected by reductions in steel capacity referred to in the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry on 19 June.—[Vol. 986, c. 1784–85.]—There are at present no small business courses in these areas. The additional provision will not be exclusively for steelworkers, but will be available for those of them who wish to use their redundancy payments to set up in their own businesses.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what extra assistance is to be made available to industrial training boards to help firms take on first or second year craft apprentices made redundant by the steel industry; what estimate he has made of the numbers of such apprentices; and how many of these he expects to 241W be found alternative opportunities of following their training;
(2) what assistance will be available from his Department to assist apprentices other than those in the first or second year of their apprenticeships affected by the rundown of the steel industry to follow their training.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1980, c. 91–92]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is primarily the steel industry's responsibility to provide opportunities to enable any craft apprentices made redundant to complete their training. The steel industry has a good record in redeploying redundant apprentices so that they can continue their training.
Information as to the number of craft apprentices likely to be affected by the proposed run down in the public sector of the industry is not immediately available. Inquiries are in hand and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as details are received. However, it is understood that so far as possible the British Steel Corporation will ensure that all apprentices affected will be given opportunities to complete their training within the industry.
In the event that the normal industry arrangements fail to secure the continued training of all redundant apprentices, the Commission stands ready to assist as necessary with funds by way of adoption grants made available through industrial training boards and other training bodies. These grants are intended as an incentive to persuade firms either within or outside of the iron and steel industry to take on redundant apprentices. The maximum grant available is normally £850 for apprentices in their first or second year. In addition, more limited assistance is available for apprentices made redundant in their third or any subsequent year, though no grant is payable in the final six months before qualification. Apprentices not eligible for or not able to benefit from adoption grants may be assisted under standing arrangements for continuation of training under ITB sponsorship.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes he is considering in the present provisions to assist people in the steel rundown 242W areas to move home to take up work elsewhere.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1980, c. 91–92]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Commission operates two schemes to encourage unemployed people and those under threat of redundancy to move home to take up work elsewhere. These are the job search scheme and the employment transfer scheme. The Commission is at present considering modifications to these schemes to provide special assistance for people affected by the British Steel closures.
No decision has yet been made, but I will inform the hon. Member and the House of the decision as soon as it has been reached.