asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by his Department in grants to employers for in-service training; if he will break down the total to show how much went towards training male and female workers; and if he will show how 1971 compares with each of the years 1965 to 1970.

The total amount of grants paid in each of the years 1965 to 1971 to firms in development and intermediate

Following is the information:areas to assist them with the cost of training their workers is as follows:

	£'000s
1965	63
1966	636
1967	823
1968	1,674
1969	2,870
1970	3,975
1971	3,777

Separate figures of the amounts that went towards training male and female workers are not available. However, in 1971 the grants assisted with the training of about 26,500 men and 23,500 women.