HC Deb 26 April 1990 vol 171 cc323-4W
Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the training agents and training managers by standard region, who received the letter from the Training Agency "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91".

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: The information requested is not available.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of employment training places in 1990–91 and 1991–92(a) for each of the standard regions and (b) the planned number of employment trainees in 1990–91 and 1991–92 and for each of the standard regions.

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: Plans for the number of ET places in each region are for management information purposes only.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the representations received after the Training Agency sent out the letter, "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91."

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: No. My right hon. and learned Friend has received a small number of representations. Such representations are made in respect of particular ET contracts, and are therefore commercially confidential.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the training agents and training managers who have been contacted by the Training Agency as part of the recontracting process outlined in the letter from the Training Agency, "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91."

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: The information requested is not available.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the organisations consulted prior to the Training Agency issuing the letter "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91."

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: None.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list(a) the type of entrants to the employment training programme under mainstream and non-mainstream categories, (b) the total amount of expenditure for each of these categories for Great Britain and each of the standard regions in 1990–91 and 1991–92 and (c) the planned number of entrants for mainstream and non-mainstream categories in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: The information requested is as follows: (a) The main groups of people who will be in the mainstream of those eligible for Employment Training are:

  • —people aged 18–60 who have been unemployed for 6 months or more including periods spent in custody;
  • —people with disabilities or who need training in literacy or numeracy skills or in English for speakers of other languages, regardless of length of unemployment.
  • —lone parents in receipt of Income Support for 6 months or more and whose youngest child is at school.
People in non-mainstream eligibility groups all of whom do not need to have been unemployed for 6 months, include:
  • —returners to the labour market;
  • —people wishing to train in skill shortages or in enterprise;
  • —victims of large scale redundancies (by agreement in specific cases).
 (b) The ET budget for Great Britain will be allocated on the basis of 85 per cent. for new entrants to the mainstream category and a maximum of 15 per cent. for non-mainstream. There will be a maximum of 20 per cent. of expenditure for non-mainstream eligible people for individual Regions. ET expenditure plans for Great Britain have not yet been finalised. ET Regional expenditure plans for 1990–91 and for 1991–92 are for internal management purposes only. (c) No limits are being placed on the number of entrants into the mainstream and non-mainstream categories.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all of the changes to employment training contained in the letter from the Training Agency entitled "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91."

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: The changes in the letter were those announced in the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Mr. Wood) on 5 March 1990 at column 507.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there are any proposals to remove the £10 a week training allowance to employment training trainees.

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: Trainees will continue to receive an allowance £10 greater than their previous benefit entitlement.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the single unit price per trainee as contained in the letter sent by the Training Agency, "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements 1990–91."

Mr. Nicholls

[holding answer 23 April 1990]: The letter "Employment Training: Termination of Agreement and New Contract Arrangements" gave no figures for, or details of, unit price per trainee.