asked the Minister for Justice the average number of days spent by officers of his Department on training courses each year; and if he is satisfied with the level of management and technical training in his Department.
Written Answers. - Training Courses.
590.
There is a training plan for middle and senior management levels in the Department, based on the needs of each Officer. Internal training courses for administrative staff are provided by two Departmental training officers, one in the Head Office of the Department and one in Land Registry. There are also separate training arrangements for professional, technical and departmental staff employed in the Land Registry, the Welfare Service and the Prison Service and each of these areas has its own special training staff. Officers of the Department in general attend external training courses at various institutions including the Civil Service Training Centre, the Institute of Public Administration and the universities. An average figure for the number of days spent by officers on training courses can be misleading as training is related to the needs of individuals. However, in the three-year period 1979 to 1981, inclusive, the average aggregate number of days per year spent by officers of the Department on training courses was 13,156 days. Given the existing circumstances, I am satisfied that the level of management and technical training in my Department is reasonable.