§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the £1,300 grant to small firms for training employees in millennium compliance in respect of(a) how the firms apply, (b) what accredited courses qualify, (c) when the grant will be paid and (d) what firms will qualify; and if he will state the number of firms expected to apply for the grant. [38060]
§ Dr. HowellsDetailed arrangements will be announced shortly, but it is expected that firms will apply via their local Training and Enterprise Council, in the first instance. The Information Technology National Training Organisation is currently working to devise suitable short training courses which will link into a relevant National92W Vocational Qualification. The grant will be paid no later than the end of March 1999, and only once the training has been carried out. Small to medium sized firms are eligible to apply. Fuller eligibility criteria will be announced during April. We anticipate that up to 20,000 firms could receive a training grant.