§ Mr. PageTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of trade associations participating in the latest benchmarking exercise had established national vocational qualifications for their sector; and of those which had not, what percentage were in the process of establishing national vocational qualifications. [11399]
§ Mr. BattleI regret that this precise information is not available. However, the benchmarking exercise showed that nearly half, 48 per cent., of the participants determined the skills requirements of their sector, and over three quarters, 77 per cent., worked with the relevant organisations to ensure training needs are met.
§ Mr. PageTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentages of all trade associations are classified as(a) small, (b) medium and (c) large by the breakdown of subscription income used in the recent trade associations benchmarking exercise. [11398]
§ Mr. BattleThe information is as follows:
Size of association Subscription income Percentage of sample Small £1–£200,000 24 Medium £200,000–£1 million 46 Large £1 million+ 30
§ Mr. PageTo ask the President of the Board of Trade for what reasons a copy of "The Trade Associations' Performance", a report of a benchmarking exercise of trade associations published in May, has not been placed in the Library. [11397]
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§ Mr. BattleI have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library today.
§ Mr. PageTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many trade associations refused to take part in the recent benchmarking exercise of trade associations' performance. [11396]
§ Mr. BattleThe Association of British Insurers, which managed the exercise on behalf of DTI, wrote to all UK trade associations on its database inviting them to take part. In the event, 135 elected to do so. The total number approached is not immediately available.