Employment Training (Hansard, 23 April 1991)

§ Mr. Leighton
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people there are outside the guarantee and aim groups on employment training.

Mr. Jackson
A total of 62 per cent. of people on employment training were outside the aim and guarantee groups, as at October 1990, the latest date for which information is available.

§ Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of employment training schemes that will be required to close as a result of cuts in the training budgets for training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson
The awarding of contracts for the provision of employment training is now the responsibility of training and enterprise councils in England and Wales, and local enterprise companies in Scotland. The Employment Department does not keep figures on the withdrawal or participation of training providers in employment training.

§ Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is proposing any new initiative for training provision for special needs groups; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson
Local enterprise companies in Scotland and training and enterprise councils in England and Wales have been given the responsibility and flexibility to innovate and arrange the delivery of training to meet the varying needs of unemployed people in their area. I have no plans to set up any new initiatives for training provision for special needs groups.

§ Mr. Wallace
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what current steps he is taking to pursue the objective set out in "Training and Employment" of attracting returners to the labour market.

Mr. Jackson
Local enterprise companies in Scotland and training and enterprise councils in England and Wales have a contractual requirement to ensure equality of opportunity in all their activities. Returners to the labour market may enter employment training without being registered as unemployed, providing they have been out of employment for at least two years for domestic reasons. The framework within which local enterprise companies and training and enterprise councils operate gives them the flexibility to tailor their training with their domestic commitments—for example, with part-time participation—the use of distance learning material and support with childcare costs.