§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by(a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe Employment Department and its agency, the Employment Service, have central budgets to deliver the training and development priorities set by their management boards.
In the last 12 months, ES has funded one training course costing in excess of £5,000 per capita head: 914W certified "NetWare" engineering training, delivered by Azlan Training. The total cost was £25,000—£6,250 per trainee. Its objective is to enable the staff responsible for ES's computer network to become fully competent and qualified in installing and managing it. Evaluation is through examination and by line management.
The Department and ES have devolved authority for other training needed in individual commands to local management. Information on this is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.