§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to enable Bradford and District training and enterprise council to assist the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders employment training centre in Bradford to continue; how many trainees are currently receiving training at NACRO in Bradford; what training is available; what alternative training will be offered to NACRO trainees if the Bradford centre closes; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. JacksonThe responsibility for identifying and meeting local training and enterprise needs in Bradford rests with Bradford and District training and enterprise council. It is for Bradford TEC to use its resources to decide which organisations it contracts with to ensure that these needs are met, and I cannot intervene in their contracting decisions.
NACRO in Bradford provides employment training in clerical, secretarial and elementary occupations, and also initial training via a subcontractor. As at 1 March 1991, 79 ET trainees were in training.
Bradford and District TEC has offered NACRO three contract closure options. NACRO has expressed a 464W preference for a residual contract to 30 June 1991 at new funding rates and are currently giving this further consideration. This would enable most trainees to complete their ET with NACRO.
There are many other local training providers offering similar training to that provided by NACRO. Bradford and District TEC will seek to minimise any disruption caused to those trainees who are required to transfer to another training provider to complete their training.