HC Deb 09 March 1993 vol 220 cc537-9W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet representatives of the Engineering Employers Federation, the Confederation of British Industry, or the Manufacturing and Construction Industries Alliance to

Community Background Number Educated inside Northern Ireland Educated outside Northern Ireland
Protestant 2,817 2,817 —
Roman Catholic 4,515 4,515 —
Others1 1,135 0 1,037
Total 8,467 7,332 1,037
1 Includes 98 staff in respect of whom the community background and place of education cannot be determined.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing for the Western health and social services board the number of(a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestant and (c) others in each grade or category used by the board.

Mr. Hanley

Information on the number of employees in the Western health and social services board who are(a) Roman Catholic, (b) Protestant and (c) others in each grade or category used by the board could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, an analysis of total Western health and social services board employees by negotiating groups and religion is as follows.

discuss ways in which his policies can more effectively encourage individuals in Northern Ireland to improve their qualifications and skills.

Mr. Atkins

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 8 March 1993: You have asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet representatives of the Engineering Employers Federation, the Confederation of British Industry or the Manufacturing and Construction Industries Alliance to discuss ways in which his policies can more effectively encourage individuals in Northern Ireland to improve their qualifications and skills. As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency the Secretary of State has asked me to reply on his behalf. The Secretary of State has no specific plans to meet the representatives of the groups you mention, although he spoke at a dinner organised by the Engineering Employers Federation on 8 February of this year. However the Training and Employment Agency will continue to have dialogue with these and other employer representative bodies as part of its ongoing process to ensure that training programmes and policies more effectively encourage industries in Northern Ireland to improve their qualifications and skills and are relevant to the needs of the industry.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement giving the details of those policies which have been introduced by his Department in each of the last five years in order positively to encourage individuals in Northern Ireland to improve their skills and qualifications.

Mr. Atkins

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 8 March 1993: You have asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement giving details of those policies which have been introduced by his Department in each of the last five years, in order positively to encourage individuals in Northern Ireland to improve their skills and qualifications. As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) (T&EA) the Secretary of State has asked me to reply. During each of the last five years, training policy has consistently been to equip individuals with the skills and competences required to help them secure employment and to provide employers with a skilled workforce. During this period there have been a number of changes to the way in which training and employment programmes have been organised and delivered. The most significant change has been the establishment of the Training and Employment Agency brought together in a single statutory body with responsibility for both employment and training services. The Agency came into existence in April 1990. It is an executive agency within the Department of Economic Development and it is advised by a Board comprised mainly of employers. The Agency administers both employment services and training services which it uses to encourage people to acquire relevant skills and qualifications. As far as training is concerned, the Agency's activities are directed around two main areas of activity. First, it aims to encourage the training and development of people who are already employed especially in companies of significant potential for growth in the tradeable sector. Secondly, it works with the Department of Education to raise the levels of skills and qualifications amongst the unemployed and entrants to the labour market, with particular emphasis being given to the 16–19 age group. Policies under both these two main areas of activity are implemented in close conjunction with Northern Ireland business, through the Agency's advisory board, through a number of bodies which represent the training needs and standards of particular sectors of industry, and through individual company contact. Targets have been set for the attainment of qualifications which embrace the CBI's "world class standards". During the five year period a number of new initatives have been undertaken. In 1988, the Job Training Programme was introduced to provide training for the long term unemployed. In 1989 arrangements were introduced to the Action for Community Employment Scheme (this is a short term job creation scheme) whereby persons employed under that programme spend a minimum of 20 per cent. of their time on training. In 1990, new arrangements were introduced for funding the Youth Training Programme, to enhance the quality of the programme, and to emphasise in particular the attainment of qualifications. In 1992, the Agency's Manpower Training Scheme, under which assistance concerning training is given to businesses in the tradeable sector was reshaped to make it more relevant to modern business needs, in the form of the Company Development Programme.