HC Deb 30 June 1981 vol 7 c346W
21. Mr. Watson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer of 1 June, Official Report, c. 269, what factors have delayed the Manpower Services Commission's review of industrial training boards.

Mr. Peter Morrison

After its initial consultations on future training arrangements with both sides of industry—and other appropriate organisations—the Manpower Services Commission decided that the main employers' organisations and trade unions in each sector covered by its review should be invited to meet officials of its training services division to discuss certain topics in greater detail. These topics included the implications of recent statements by the Government on their criteria for judging the adequacy of voluntary training arrangements. The commission considered these meetings to be indispensable if it was to have a sound basis for making recommendations to the Government on the future training arrangements for each sector. To allow sufficient time for the commission to evaluate the views expressed at these meetings the completion of its report has had to be delayed by about a month until towards the end of July.