§ Mr. FranksTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of job vacancies in Cumbria; and what measures are being taken to ease any skills shortage.
§ Mr. NichollsThere were 2,019 unfilled vacancies, excluding community programme vacancies, registered at474W jobcentres in the county of Cumbria in May 1988, the latest date for which figures are available. It is estimated, nationally, that about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres.
The existence of unfilled vacancies should not necessarily be taken as evidence of skill shortages; some vacancies will remain unfilled for other reasons while some arise as a result of job-changing and will be essentially of a short-term nature.
It is primarily for employers to supply the skills they need by providing the proper incentives and by making the necessary investment in training.
The Government have given a lead by more than doubling their own investment in vocational education and training since 1979, especially through the two-years YTS for school leavers and employment training—the £1.4 billion training programme for unemployed adults. The Training Commission monitors skill supply and demand at national and local levels to inform employers and assist in the planning and targeting of government training programmes.