§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the Government training opportunities schemes to which an age limit is applicable, stating in each case what that is and, where possible, the justification for it.
§ Mr. Jim Lester[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1980, c. 125–26]: The training opportunities scheme (TOPS) run by the Manpower Services Commis- 291W sion offers training in needed skills to adults who are unemployed, or wish to change their occupations, or to return to the labour market after a period of absence. The only formal age restrictions are a general minimum entry age of 19 and a minimum age of 27 for trainees following TOPS supported post-graduate courses. These rules are intended to reduce overlap with the further education sector and, in the case of the 19 age rule, to safeguard industry's responsibility to train first entrants to the labour market.
Subject to these rules, applicants for TOPS training are in general selected on the ground of individual suitability irrespective of age. However, TOPS courses are geared to the prospects of obtaining employment in particular occupations and the following additional guidance is given on the age of recruits to particular types of training:
(a) for the following courses, age limits have been negotiated with the appropriate industry or professional bodies in order to protect the position of schemes for training apprentices or other young entrants:
Course Minimum age of admission Building site management 25 Clerk of works 22 Commercial vehicle body building 20 Hairdressing (men's) 19¼ Heating and Ventilating fitting 23½ Pipe fitting (petro-chemical industry) 23 Plumbing 23 (provisional) (b) there is a minimum age limit of 21 years for heavy goods vehicle driver training, in line with HGV licensing requirements.(c) because of the physical requirements of the trades concerned, applicants over 29 are not normally considered for diver training, nor are applicants over 50 for courses in domestic appliance servicing.(d) a maximum age of 35 is set for certain computer courses in view of the generally greater aptitude for this work of younger people, and of employer's preferences for them. (Guidance will be reviewed in the light of a current survey of employers' requirements).In addition, age limits may exceptionally be set for particular courses in the light of local conditions or other special circumstances.