§ Mr. Patrick Thompsonasked the Paymaster General if he will give details of Her Majesty's Government's measures or proposed measures to help and encourage the training of graduates in private industry.
§ Mr. TrippierIt is primarily the responsibility of employers to provide suitable training for their graduate employees. As part of the adult training campaign, the Government are encouraging employers to recognise the importance of investing in training to improve the skills of their work force at all levels, including graduates. In addition, employees may benefit from the pump-priming training grants available to industry through the Manpower Services Commission, and from the commission's development programmes. Measures of particular relevance to graduates are the national priority skills scheme, under which support is provided to a number of industrial training organisations to help meet graduate level key skill needs in their industries; the graduate gateway programme which encourages new graduates to consider working in new businesses and owners of small business to consider recruiting graduates; and the management development programme, the aim of which is to develop improved methods of management training and to promote the spread of good practice.