§ 35. Sir Anthony GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to encourage more skilled labour to become available in East Anglia and the south-east generally; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NichollsTo secure the skills they need employers must provide proper incentives for people to acquire those skills, develop internal recruitment and make the necessary investment in training and upgrading of skills.
The Government have given a lead by more than doubling their investment in vocational education and training since 1979, especially through YTS for the 16 and 17-year-old age group, and now the new £1.4 billion employment training programme for unemployed adults, announced in the White Paper "Training for Employment" (Cm 316).
In East Anglia and the south-east generally more than 51,000 young people are expected to receive training under YTS during this financial year with expenditure planned at £117 million. In addition, 47,000 unemployed adults will have received skills training during the same period at a cost of £31 million. Training under YTS and the forthcoming employment training programme responds to the skill needs of local labour markets.