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Regional Development Agencies: Trade Unions

Volume 472: debated on Wednesday 20 February 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles), of 9 January 2008, Official Report, column 676W, on regional development agencies: trade unions, what grants were given by each regional development agency to (a) trade unions and (b) the Trades Union Congress from the date of their establishment to the start of the period covered in the answer. (184730)

RDAs fund initiatives through a variety of third party organisations to deliver projects to increase economic growth, such as on work force development and economic inclusion. The specific focus and priorities of such activities are set out in each region’s regional economic strategy and will differ according to the needs, opportunities and priorities for economic growth in each region.

The following funding has been provided by RDAs to trade unions as requested in the question.

RDA

Trade union

Project

Grant (£000)

AWM

Unity Trade Union

Work force development project, ensuring individuals subject to redundancy were aware of skills in demand in their local area

333

YF

National Farmers Union

Research on rural development project

38

The following funding has also been provided by RDAs to the Trades Union Congress as requested in the question.

RDA

Project

Grants (£000)

AWM

Improving workplace skills across the West Midlands region

307

EEDA

Raising basic skills in the workplace

189

LDA

Trade union participation in regional economic development. Strengthening London trade unions capacity for more effective input to the design and delivery of economic policy and programmes

225

LDA

Adult Learners Week Fund, LDA/Union Learn/SERTUC partnership to stimulate learning in workplaces with trade union representation where union learning representatives recruit and support learners

289

NWDA

Capacity and effectiveness of trade union learning representatives. Research-based project commissioned by UCLAN to look at capacity and effectiveness of trade union learn representatives across the region

68

ONE

TUC and ONE “Working Together” project. Helping local businesses raise their profile

191

SWRDA

Trade unions working for the South West

427

SWRDA

TUC Learning Services

8

SWRDA

Equalities South West

78