HC Deb 15 November 2001 vol 374 cc856-7W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on skills shortages in the Buckingham constituency. [14208]

Mr. Goodman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on skills shortages in the Wycombe constituency. [14874]

John Healey

Data on skills shortages are not collected on a constituency basis by the Department. However, the Employers Skill Survey 2001, which was funded by the Department, provides estimates within Local Learning and Skills Council boundaries. In this survey, skill shortage vacancies were reported by five per cent. of employers in the Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire Local Learning and Skills Council area. This compares to a national average of four per cent. and a high of eight per cent.