§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the budget for Wales for the introduction of employment training in 1988–89; how much has been spent to date; how many places have been allocated for Wales; how many places have been taken up; and of these places taken up, how many are considered to have been those relating to the residual community programme.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI am satisfied that the financial allocation for Wales for the 1988–89 financial year is sufficient to meet the expenditure employment training will incur during the year. Employment training will offer some 50,000 unemployed adults an opportunity to find and keep work in Wales each year; and it is expected that during 1988–89 about 24,000 will be in training at any one time. In the first two months of the programme over £4 million was spent in Wales. At 30 November 1988 there were 5,996 in employment training in Wales, but it is not known how many of those who were taking part in the former community programme and were eligible to join employment training have done so.
§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the training agents in Wales to whom contracts have been given for the employment training programme.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe following organisations have been contracted by the Training Agency to operate as employment training agents in Wales:
- Cardiff Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd
- Careers Service Adult Guidance Agency (Mid Glamorgan County Council)
- Clwyd Local Education Authority
- Clwyd Training Agency
- Dyfed County Council
- Gwent County Council
- Gwynedd County Council
- Manpower Development Agency
- Maud and Grove Management Associates Ltd
- Powys County Council
- Psychological Consultancy Services
- South Glamorgan County Council
- West Glamorgan County Council.
§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the qualifications and experience of those training agents in receipt of a contract who are operating in Mid Glamorgan.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerContracts were awarded to training agents in Wales who, in the judgment of the Training Agency, are best able to deliver the assessment, guidance and counselling to meet the quality standards necessary to assist their client groups.
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§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to inspect the performance and quality of work of those training agents in Mid Glamorgan in receipt of contracts under the employment training programme.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerIt is vitally important that the people who organise and deliver employment training have the necessary skills and competence to do so. Training agents (and training managers) will need to meet stringent criteria as part of the process of obtaining approved training agent status—without which they will not be able to continue with employment training. Training Agency staff will regularly monitor training agents, while helping them develop the skills of their staff, as will the training standards advisory service.