Skilled Workers (Hansard, 2 March 2004)

§ Mr. Miliband

The Skills Strategy (published in July 2003) set out our plans for identifying skill needs across the economy.

In relation to the particular areas highlighted:

The construction industry and plumbing

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are being established to identify and define the skills that employers need to raise productivity in all major sectors of the economy. Construction is one of four sectors pioneering new Sector Skills Agreements to deliver on this agenda.

Construction was highlighted as a priority curriculum area in "Success for All: Our Vision for the Future" the Government's strategy for reforming further education and training published in November 2002.

The 2003 National Employers Skills Survey shows the construction sector as having a relatively high number of skill shortage vacancies per employee in comparison to other sectors.

Forecast future requirements in the construction sector are of an annual net requirement between 2003 and 2007 of 54,000 construction workers and 6,000 plumbers. This is to replace both an ageing workforce and to meet an expansion of the sector.

Supply is expected to meet this increased future demand. In 2001/02 there were 49,000 vocational awards for construction and 11,000 for plumbing while the number of first-year construction trainees increased for the fifth year running in 2002/03.

The NHS

The NHS Plan acknowledged that shortages in human resources were the biggest constraint facing the NHS and set ambitious targets for increasing the NHS workforce. By March 2004 there will be 7,500 more consultants, 2,000 more GPs, 20,000 more nurses and 6,500 more therapists and other health professionals employed in the NHS than in 1999.

Furthermore, "Delivering the NHS Plan" included expected increases in the NHS work force. Between 2001 and 2008, we expect there to be increases of 35,000 nurses and midwives, 15,000 consultants and GPs and 30,000 therapists and scientists.

The education system

The Secretary of State for Education and Skills is responsible for ensuring an adequate supply of school teachers. Since 1997 there has been an increase of nearly 25,000 regular teachers in maintained schools in England. Recent improvements in recruitment to initial teacher training and innovative ways of remodelling the work force—with support staff helping teachers to use their professional skills to greatest effect—mean that supply is expected to continue to be sufficient. Alongside rising teacher numbers, there is also evidence of improving teacher quality.

The DfES liaises regularly with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to ensure that the supply of teaching and learning is not adversely affected by labour shortage.

In addition, the DfES has responsibility—following the publication of the Green Paper, "Every Child Matters"—for children's services more broadly, including social care, and is currently developing its evidence base on the wider children's work force.