§ Lord Henderson of Bromptonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements have been made for strengthening the ties between the Manpower Services Commission and the Secretary of State for Education and Science.
§ The Earl of SwintonThe Manpower Services Commission reports to the Secretary of State for Employment on the whole of its activities and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales in respect of its corporate plans and programmes for Scotland and Wales. It was recently announced in the White PaperTraining for Jobs (Cmnd. 9135) that ties between the commission and the Secretary of State for Education and Science have been strengthened.
The new arrangements for work-related non-advanced further education set out in the White Paper involve giving the Manpower Services Commission enhanced responsibility for the funding of this type of provision in colleges. Education Ministers have statutory responsibility for policy on further education, and the Secretary of State for Education and Science will in future be fully involved in the consideration and approval of the commission's corporate plans and in proposals substantially affecting non-advanced further education in England. He will also be more closely involved in the appointment of those members of the commission who represent local authority associations and professional education interests.