in my first 250hrs as a pilot used an autopilot or flight director.
It was all raw-data VFR & IFR SE/ME
The idea of training for the initial IR is that one gets to learn and practice all the required elements until the required standard is demonstrated.
The idea of the Test is to (once again) demonstrate that you can operate to the required standards.
If during training you have significant times where you can use the autopilot because you are not learning anything / demonstrating anything then you are being robbed because droning along in trim at a constant altitude is just as easy as being on autopilot and at 6 to 8 pounds perminute, that is an expensive waste of available practice time.
Of course if you have already demonstrated that you can hand-fly straight and level on instruments then I can not see a reason for not teaching how to use the autopilot (and flight director if there is one). I may also teach you how to fly a VOR approach using the autopilot / flight director provided that you can easily do it without them.
You are paying to learn so why not use (necessary) expenside dead time to learn.
Having said that, there are very few initial IR candidates who honestly have any spare training time!!
In every aircraft where one is fitted the autopilot and flight director (if there is one) is designed to reduce pilot workload. It is not there as a crutch for people who can't do without one.
PS.
Raw data is having the VOR and/or NDB and/or DME information displayed to you. Even if the autopilot is tracking the VOR radial it is still raw data.
If on the otherhand you have an FMS and it is calculating a track to fly and this is displayed to you then this is not raw data but you can still follow the track without having to use an autopilot or flight director i.e. hand fly.