Levy exemption scheme
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The leader in your issue of January 19 has raised even more eyebrows by suggesting that "a few eyebrows will be raised" by the RTITB's agreement to the Department of Employment's proposals on a levy exemption scheme.
Far from simply agreeing to such an arrangement, the RTITB was among the first to propose it. Its first Five Year Plan announced
two years ago, set out a programme for disengagement from levy along the lines now proposed (report of which appeared in CM February 26, 1971). The board's Submission to the Department of Employment in March 1972, in reply to the document -Training for the Future", set down quite detailed proposals along the same lines. Indeed, the Government's new training policy follows closely on the lines proposed in the alternative plan described in the Submission that the Board made at that time.
In its latest reply to the Department of Employment, however, the Board has reiterated its preference for a system of levy exemption by occupation. It fears that the rather clumsy "all or nothing" exemption scheme proposed by the Government will slow down the effective rate at which levy exemption can be applied in our industry. It prefers to build in a system of partial exemption, as well as total exemption, to give recognition to those firms who are achieving adequate training standards for some occupations, but not for all.
TONY ENGLISH, Public Relations Officer, Road Transport Industry Training Board.