§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the skillcentres that have been invited to assist in retraining miners, indicating whether the centre is one being considered for closure;
(2) which skillcentres in mining areas have not been offered opportunities to help retrain miners, listing annexes separately from main centres; and which of these are being considered for closure.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe contract between the National Coal Board and the skillcentre training agency does not specify which centres will be used to retrain those mineworkers who choose to take voluntary redundancy and who opt to be retrained. The contract was made in the knowledge that the agency was proposing to streamline its network and the National Coal Board was satisfied that the remaining skillcentres would be properly located and equipped to do the job.