Information Technology

HC Deb 05 July 1988 vol 136 c558W

72. Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to tackle skill shortages in information technology.

Mr. Cope

The Government, through the Training Commission, support the learning of information technology (IT) skills with YTS and its adult training programmes including, from September, the £1.5 billion employment training programme. Support is also given to industrial training organisations and other employer groupings to improve the quantity and quality of relevant IT training. In addition, the number of places in higher education IT courses has increased by 50 per cent. since 1979 and is being expanded further.