Mr. Ron Brownasked the Paymaster General what representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the shortage of skilled workers; and what steps he has taken to encourage more firms to employ apprentices in engineering and other industries.
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§ Mr. TrippierMy ministerial colleagues and I are in regular contact with the Confederation of British Industry about a wide range of issues. We have not received any direct representations from the confederation specifically in respect of skill shortages.
Employers have the prime responsibility for ensuring that they recruit the number of apprentices which they will need in order to meet their future requirements for skilled workers. The Government make a significant contribution through YTS funding which already enables a substantial amount of initial skills training to be carried out. This financial support will be increased from April, when YTS is extended from one to two years.