HC Deb 23 May 1991 vol 191 cc574-5W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of trainees in Wales who will take advantage of the new training voucher scheme in each of the last three years of its availability.

Mr. David Hunt

In 1991–92 the North-East Wales training and enterprise council estimates that between 1,200 and 1,500 young people will take advantage of its training credit in its pilot scheme. Credits will be extended progressively throughout Great Britain year by year. Initially TECs and local enterprise companies will be invited to submit proposals for local schemes offering training credits in their localities to come into operation in April 1993. Schemes will be selected to cover another 10 per cent. of the national total of 16 to 17-year-olds leaving full-time education. We intend that within five years, every 16 to 17-year-old leaving full-time education will have the offer of a training credit.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much additional finance will be available for the new training voucher scheme in Wales in 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 respectively; and if he will also publish for each year the total finance available for these credit vouchers, taking into account all existing and new schemes.

Mr. David Hunt

The level of additional resources to be made available to the north-east Wales training credit pilot in 1992–93 has not yet been finalised. For subsequent years the total resources available for training credits in Wales will depend on the speed with which coverage is extended in the Principality.