Employment and Training (Hansard, 14 November 1996)

§ Mr. Ancram

Responsibility for this subject has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Ian Walters to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 12 November 1996: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question about proposals to meet trade union and business leaders in order to discuss with them employment and training issues. You will be interested to know that I meet regularly with both trade union and business leaders to discuss a wide range of employment and training issues. I have had recent meetings with representatives of the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In September, I hosted a dinner in Londonderry in honour of Mr. John Monks, General Secretary, TUC and which was attended by senior trade union and business leaders. The Agency also has a very close working relationship with the Northern Ireland Growth Challenge through its Education, Training and Employment Sub-committee. Two members of the Agency's Board are trade union representatives. In Northern Ireland, employers' training interests are represented by 16 industry led Sector Training Councils with which we also work closely. Incidentally, the Agency is currently working in partnership with the Engineering Training Council to support the "Year of Engineering Success" in 1997. The Agency will continue to meet regularly with trade union and business leaders.