asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the size of the bid for public funds for education and training purposes which was recently received from the Trades Union Congress.

The Trades Union Congress's request was for a modest increase in real terms in the Government grant towards the cost of trade union education and training next year. The TUC also asked about the possibility of a capital contribution towards the cost of a national centre for trade union education which it hopes to establish. No exact sums were mentioned.