§ Mr. Madelasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any change will be made to the cash limit of the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. TebbitSubject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the total grant-in-aid of the Manpower Services Commission will be increased by £22.590 million, from £992.030 million to £1, 014.620 million. None of the increase adds to planned spending totals: £6.090 million will be transferred from Labour Market Services—Vote IV, Class 13—£3.000 million from Department of Employment Administration—Class IV, Vote 17—£5.500 million is in the public expenditure survey provision but has not yet been incorporated in Estimates, and the balance of £8.000 million will be found from the contingency reserve.
Of the increase, £14.500 million is required by MSC to meet the operating costs of industrial training boards. As announced in my statement on 16 November 1981, the Exchequer will continue to fund operating costs of ITBs until 31 March 1982, instead of 31 December 1981 as previously planned.
A further £8.000 million is needed to meet winding-up costs of ITBs. Planned spending totals in 1982–83 will include financial provision for this purpose but because the programme of winding-up has started earlier than expected £8 million of the allocation is being brought forward into the current financial year.
The balance of £0.090 million is for the enterprise allowance scheme pilot experiment that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Industry announced in his statement on 13 November 1981.
The increase in the total grant-in-aid and the transfer of expenditure from other bodies will require consequential adjustments to the following cash limits: viz:
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CASH LIMITS 1981–82 £Million Present Revised Class IV, Vote 13—Labour Market Services 189.242 183.152
£ Million Present Revised Vote 16—Manpower Services Commission (net) 826.222 848.812 Vote 17−Department of Employment Administration 123.475 120.475 1138.939 1152.439
§ Mr. Doverasked the Secretary of State for Employment what savings in staff at the Manpower Services Commission he anticipates will occur as a result of the reform of the training boards announced by his Department.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonIt is planned that by 1 April 1983 the number of staff in the Manpower Services Commission who deal with both statutory and voluntary training will be reduced by 16. As compared with 1 April 1981, this represents a reduction of 25 per cent. The position will be kept under review as the new industry training arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend on 16 November 1981 are established and the work load involved for the Manpower Services Commission becomes clearer.