HC Deb 29 July 1988 vol 138 cc842-3W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women's training places have been approved by his Department under the European social fund for each year since 1983.

Mr. Cope

My Department does not approve training places for projects supported by the European social fund; this is a matter solely for the European Commission to decide.

For each of the years since 1983 the European Commission approved the following number of training places in the United Kingdom under the European social fund guideline strictly reserved for women returning to the labour market for occupations in which they are under-represented.

Training places approved by European Commission under European social fund guideline for women
Year Number
1983 1,466
1984 3,377
1985 6,206
1986 8,200
11987 16,007
11988 20,435
1 Provisional.

In addition, 955,729 United Kingdom training places for women were approved by the European Commission under other social fund guidelines for the period 1984 to 1986. Figures prior to 1984 were not divided by gender and those for 1987 and 1988 are not yet available.