Member News
John Mann (Lab, Bassetlaw) yesterday presented the Major Capital Contracts (Skills Training Requirements) Bill.
Under the Bill, public authorities letting contracts for major capital works will be required to provide apprenticeships and skills training.
Mann highlighted the recent disputes at the Lindsey oil refinery and Staythorpe power station, in which local workers have been excluded from the ability to apply for jobs on major construction works.
The Bill includes a provision that all jobs relating to a contract for major public works worth more than £50m must be advertised in local jobcentres, Mann said.
Another provision would place a duty on all public contracts of a certain size that at least 2 per cent of the entire workforce should be new apprentices. All contracts would also have to involved one hour's training a week, in conjunction with local colleges for the existing workforce.
The imminent nuclear build must provide for "British jobs for British workers", Mann said. Adding nothing to the UK skills base would be economically self-defeating, he concluded.
The Bill was ordered to be read a second time on Friday March 12.
Progress
House of Commons
1st reading: 2 March 2010
The Bill has been dropped and will make no further progress.
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