§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent changes and reforms he has made in respect of Government training schemes; what is the financial impact of the changes; and what is the basic purpose of these changes.
Mr. JacksonThe most important recent change is that responsibility for planning and delivering training programmes at a local level has been given to the new employer-led training and enterprise councils. TECs have considerable flexibility, within a national framework set by Government, to tailor their training to meet local needs, and to evolve innovative approaches to developing skills and supporting business growth. Other significant changes include
Training credits, which are being piloting by 10 TECs, and one local enterprise company in Scotland. This initiative will expand and improve training for young people by giving them the power to choose and buy training to approved standards:the development of youth training, which assists young people to achieve nationally recognised vocational qualifications;the investors in people initiative, designed to encourage employers to improve performance through effective development to their people;education business partnerships, which are joint ventures between TECS and local education authorities involving employers, educationalists and others in the local community.The creation of TECs and the flexibilities they have will ensure that programmes are more effective and responsive to both business and individuals. This will in turn lead to improved value for money. The purpose of these changes is to help ensure that our economy has the skills it needs.