§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter concerning the funding of industrial training which his Department has sent to firms in the distribution industry.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI assume that the letter to which the right hon. Member refers is a reply which I sent to the group personnel and training manager of Allders Department Stores Ltd., in reply to a letter which she sent to me on behalf of a number of companies in the industry. The part of the letter concerning the funding of industrial training read as follows
Finally, the Manpower Services Commission has proposed to establish, in co-operation with the Government, a general study of the funding of industrial training as a whole, and we will be looking at this question further in the light of this study. We are not attracted by the idea of imposing further taxes on employers even where the wholly admirable target is to encourage them to provide proper training. But we are prepared to consider this possibility seriously if the response to our current training initiatives seems likely to be inadequate to match the country's needs".
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will withhold approval of any proposed voluntary training arrangements unless they contain in each case adequate provision for monitoring of performance and standards.
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§ Mr. Peter MorrisonAs I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mr. Jones) on 22 March—[Vol. 20, c.249–250]—we are looking to non-statutory training organisations to set up adequate machinery to monitor training and check standards.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what further inquiries are being undertaken by the Manpower Services Commission into the funding of industrial training; and when they expect such inquiries to be completed.
§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce a payroll tax to fund the new training scheme and to ensure adequate industrial training in those sectors not covered by statutory training boards; what consultations he has had regarding such plans with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe recently published report of the Manpower Services Commission's youth task group contains proposals for funding the initial training of young people. A report on adult training strategy to be submitted to the commission in the autumn will include an assessment of ways in which the funding of adult training might be shared between the various parties which stand to benefit. The MSC has also proposed to establish, in cooperation with the Government, a general study of the funding of industrial training as a whole. The Government have no plans to introduce a payroll tax to fund industrial training, but will consider further with the MSC the whole issue of funding in the light of its studies.
§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria he will use in determining whether proposed voluntary arrangements are satisfactory when deciding on the abolition of statutory industrial training boards.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mr. Jones) on 22 March—[Vol. 20, c.249–250.]