§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has yet taken a decision to close any skillcentres; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Manpower Services Commission decided last year that the Skillcentre Training Agency should in future operate on a trading basis, and has recently proposed a business plan, which would provide for full cost recovery by 1986–87. The extent to which this will require closure of skillcentres will depend on the success of the agency's efforts to improve efficiency and increase business, which the commission proposes to review in September of this year. It is intended that the available resources should be used most cost effectively and that we optimise the relevance of training provision.