HC Deb 21 December 1984 vol 70 cc386-7W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the 950 staff employed within the 29 skillcentres to be closed by the Manpower Services Commission by 1986 will receive redundancy payments; and what payments will be made.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The Manpower Services Commission has not yet taken a decision on the proposals made to it by the skillcentre training agency. It is too early to predict how many of the 1,050 staff who would be affected if the proposals were agreed might have to be declared redundant or, for those in the instructor group, be compulsorily retired at age 60 and over. Every effort would be made to redeploy those affected and to effect the reductions with as little hardship to individuals as possible. Levels of redundancy payment are determined by the provisions of the principal civil service pension scheme. These are summarised in the guide "Civil Service Pensions Explained" (2nd edition) a copy of which is in the library of the House. Individual entitlement would vary considerably.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of jobs which will be lost resulting from the proposed closure of the skillcentres at Castle Bromwich, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Long Eaton, Redditch, the young persons' training centre at Handsworth, Birmingham, and the Wolverhampton annexe at Dudley.

Mr. Peter Morrison

The Manpower Services Commission has not yet taken a decision on the proposals made to it by the skillcentre training agency. 205 people are currently employed at the skillcentres in Castle Bromwich, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Long Eaton and Redditch, the young persons' training centre in Handsworth and the Wolverhampton skillcentre annexe in Dudley.

Whilst jobs at these centres would go if the proposals were agreed some jobs would be gained in the skillcentres remaining in the proposed network and in the expanded mobile instructor service. It is not possible at this stage to determine the net effect on jobs of these proposed closures, though nationally there would be a loss of about 950 jobs.

The impact of the proposals on the 205 individual members of staff at these centres would depend on redeployment measures and on the nature of any retirement or redundancy arrangements yet to be agreed and implemented.