Clause 6. — (Power to Obtain Information from Employers.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Industrial Training Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 January 1964.

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Photo of Mr Reginald Prentice Mr Reginald Prentice , East Ham North 12:00, 21 January 1964

In supporting these Amendments, I point out that we want the whole scope of the Bill to apply to all firms, large or small. Although we concede that there may be circumstances in which certain units in some industries are so small that they might reasonably be excused from paying the levy, we would regard that exemption in itself as some- thing which should be used very sparingly. We think that that should happen in all cases where the firms are so small that the cost of collecting the levy would be greater than the yield of the levy itself. Further, we think that the board should be given the fullest possible information by all firms, as we originally moved in Committee.

6.0 p.m.

We are glad that the Government have accepted our ideas. If I may say so, this is a good example of how the vigilance of the Opposition has helped the Government out of their difficulties. There are further examples in the Notice Paper of ways in which we are trying to help them, and we hope that they will meet us on those points as well.

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