§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to create a sector skills council for post-compulsory education. [74637]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisEmployers are discussing with my Department the potential for a UK-wide Sector Skills Council for post-compulsory education. These discussions are at an early stage. A firm proposal from employers would also need the support of the devolved administrations. It is the responsibility of the Sector Skills Development Agency to assess proposals against the Sector Skills Council standard and to recommend the award of licences.
788Wfor Key Stage 4 and broad learning goals for the post-16 phase, as well as identifying opportunities for young people to undertake wider development opportunities. The focus of activity for the Connexions Service will be to provide individually tailored support to young people undertaking learning programmes that involve studying outside the institution in which they are based and those with multiple barriers to learning. We are also developing a new 11–19 national specification for careers education, to help schools, colleges and work-based training providers to develop more effective curriculum-based careers education programmes.