HC Deb 15 February 1991 vol 185 cc636-7W
Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to give encouragement to individuals to improve their skills.

Mr. David Hunt

The seven training and enterprise councils in Wales are all developing proposals to encourage individuals to improve their skills and increase their commitment to their own training and self development. The investors in people standard will be the foundation for an action programme aimed at encouraging employers to plan, act and review the training needs of all their employees. Career development loans offer valuable help to individuals who wish to train but lack the financial means to do so and the professional industrial and commercial updating programme recognises the need of employed people for training and aims to update the skills of the Welsh workforce. We have also introduced a new initiative to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of the unemployed and those in work which will be overseen by the adult literacy and basic skills unit and will involve a series of pilot projects in England and Wales.

Our education reforms are designed to raise the standards of young people in schools and will ensure that all pupils follow a curriculum designed to encourage them to achieve their full potential and prepare them for work. Pupils of all abilities should have a full opportunity to have a vocational start to their studies. The vocational examining bodies have been invited to play a key part in this by offering qualifications relating to the whole of the national curriculum or relevant aspects of it. The training credit pilots should encourage young people to take responsibility for their own training. We will be monitoring the achievements of the pilot to assess their impact on young people's motivation.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet Sir Bryan Wolfson of the national training task force to discuss improved skills training in Wales.

Mr. David Hunt

Welsh Office Ministers regularly discuss skills training in Wales with Sir Melvyn Rosser, who is a member of the national training task force.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet members of the CBI and TUC to discuss training in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

I have already discussed training in Wales with both bodies and expect to do so again when next I meet them.