§ 12. Mr. James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington)If he will make a statement on the objectives he has set for the Learning and Skills Council. [138370]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mr. Malcolm Wicks)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published the Learning and Skills Council remit letter on 9 November. That sets out our key priorities for the first three years of the council's operation. They include encouraging more young people to stay on in learning, increasing demand for learning among adults, and improving the skills of the work force. We also expect the council to drive up standards in teaching and training.
§ Mr. PlaskittDoes my hon. Friend agree that colleges of further education have a crucial role in delivering those objectives? Warwickshire college in my constituency is committed to supporting the objectives, and only yesterday signed an agreement with the local education authority on the future provision of post-16 training. What can my hon. Friend do to encourage other partners to follow that example?
§ Mr. WicksI know of the good work at Warwickshire college, and my hon. Friend's support for that institution. I congratulate its staff and students on their excellent work. Under the previous Administration, further education was widely regarded as a Cinderella service. Under this Administration and this Secretary of State, further education has a major and important role to play in the early part of the 21st century. That is why we are funding FE at record levels. We have established the Learning and Skills Council so that further education increasingly responds to the needs of individuals and the demands of the local economy.
§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)Does the Minister regret the passing of the training and enterprise councils and the positive and high input from businesses in Investors in People and in training generally? Can I assume that the Learning and Skills Council will now be responsible for Investors in People? What input will there be from business at board level?
§ Mr. WicksMany TECs have done excellent work, not least because of the commitment of the business community. For that reason, many people from the TEC community will play a major role in the new local learning and skills councils, some as chairs and some as members of staff. As the Secretary of State has said, most of the chairs of the councils, including the national chair, Bryan Sanderson, come from the business community, as well as 40 per cent. of local members. That in itself shows 434 our commitment to ensuring that the role of the business community is a major focus in the new order for learning and training.
§ Mr. Eric Martlew (Carlisle)I have had discussions with my hon. Friend and have written to him about the lack of basic skills among the work force on our rail network. The present chaos on the railways has much to do with the fact that the necessary skills are not available. Does my hon. Friend believe that, if the Government are to reach their 10-year target, the Learning and Skills Council must be deeply involved in urgently providing the training and skills required to give us a modern railway system for the 21st century?
§ Mr. WicksI certainly recognise that training must play a full part if we are to achieve a modern rail industry that our economy and passengers desperately need. I know of my hon. Friend's keen interest, hence his letter to me. Yesterday, I took an initiative to boost training in the rail industry, and I shall send him full details of that initiative later today.