asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide, for the last two years, a breakdown of entrants into skillcentres according to marital status by the under 24, 25 to 44, and 45 plus years age groups for (a) the south-west and (b) Great Britain; and if he will further give for each grouping the further breakdown according to the to-open and to-close status of the centres.

I regret that detailed information on the characteristics of entrants to skillcentres in the form requested is not available. However, there were 2,608 entrants to skillcentres in the south-west in 1982–83, and 2,503 entrants in 1983–84. In Great Britain the corresponding figures were 29,237 and 29,202 respectively.