HC Deb 05 July 1982 vol 27 cc14-5W
Miss Joan Lestor

asked the Secretary of state for Employment if he will list the schemes funded by special European Economic Community resources for training of women over the age of 25 years in the United Kingdom in 1981.

Mr. Alison

In 1981, seven applicants received allocations from the European social fund to assist schemes exclusively of training for women aged over 25 years. The individual allocations were as follows:

Manpower Services Commission

(Training Services Division) Introductory skill centre course for women

Hatfield polytechnic Accountancy foundation course

Bradford college Training of women as light vehicle drivers

Chelmer Institute of Higher Education Pre-training course and training in basic skills

Lambeth Women's Workshop Skills training in carpentry

East Leeds Women's Workshop Skill training in carpentry and electrical repairs

Leicestershire county council Training or re-training for occupation in dress and design

In addition, the social fund made allocations to a large number of schemes open to women and men alike.

Miss Joan Lestor

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the percentage of female beneficiaries of European Economic Community social fund money for occupational and professional retraining in the United Kingdom in 1981.

Mr. Alison

I regret that the information requested is not available, although there is no doubt that the European social fund makes a significant contribution to the training of women and girls.

Social fund assistance goes towards training programmes for both men and women without discrimination under the fund's various fields of intervention, in addition to the relatively small section of the fund specifically concerned with schemes for women over the age of 25. Substantial numbers of women and girls are therefore included in applications to the fund for schemes which are open to both sexes. For example, the female participation rates in the Manpower Services Commission's youth opportunities programme and the training opportunities programme in 1981 were some 50 per cent. and 35 per cent. respectively.