HC Deb 28 February 1990 vol 168 cc258-9W
Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how standards of quality are maintained on the employment training scheme and YTS in Scotland; and what comparable studies he has made of major European competitors in their provision of training.

Mr. Lang

The Training Agency ensures standards of quality on employment training and YTS by requiring all employment training training agents and managers and YTS managers to become approved training organisations. In awarding approved training organisation status, the Training Agency verifies the design and delivery of the training as consistent with the aims of employment training and YTS. Furthermore the training standards advisory service provides an independent advisory service which has as its main role to assess the overall quality of training provision and to undertake evaluations of individual projects.

There is a lack of internationally comparable data on training volumes and expenditure. National surveys have been carried out in most countries, but their coverage and the definitions used often differ widely. The Scottish Office itself has made no study of provision of training in major European countries, but "Training in Britain", a report produced by the Training Agency, does make reference to training in France and Germany. In addition, a study is presently being carried out by the European centre for the development of vocational training and the Commission of European Communities to obtain systematic and comparable data of training expenditure at the European level, but results are not yet available.

Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to publish the recent survey of training within the tourism sector undertaken by the Scottish tourist board; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

No decision has yet been taken. I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the procedures by which the employment training scheme is monitored by his Department in Scotland.

Mr. Lang

The monitoring of employment training in Scotland is undertaken by the Training Agency which is at present part of the Department of Employment. My officials in the Industry Department for Scotland liaise closely with the Training Agency on employment training issues.