§ Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement as to the future of the Manpower Services Commission.
§ Mr. FowlerThe Employment Bill which I introduced in the House on 22 October, at column 944, includes provision to amend the law with respect to the constitution and functions of the Manpower Services Commission and for it to be known as the Training Commission. Together with the creation of an integrated employment service within my Department the purpose of these changes is to help the unemployed back into work and to enable the Training Commission to concentrate on the key task of meeting the nation's skill needs.
The employment service, which is directly operated by my Department, now provides a full range of services for unemployed people, including the payment of benefit, help and advice to unemployed and other job-seekers and job placement. It is the gateway to the whole range of programmes that we have developed or are developing for unemployed people.
The Training Commission will be at the heart of our efforts to harness the resources of Government, industry, commerce and individuals to the crucial task of meeting our present and future skill needs. To this end it will continue to develop its existing provision for the vocational education and training of young people and adults including the youth training scheme and the job training scheme. It will also run the community programme, community industry and the voluntary projects programme. I also attach great importance to the commission's role in encouraging employers and individuals to grasp the opportunities that training offers to sharpen industrial competitiveness and improve career opportunities.
In pursuing their respective roles I expect the employment service and the commission to work closely together where a joint effort is necessary to meet key objectives such as our commitment for 16 and 17-year-olds and the long-term unemployed.