§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation he has with(a) the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) regional development agencies when determining Trailblazer status. [32852]
§ John HealeyA representative from the Department of Trade and Industry was part of an interdepartmental shortlisting panel selection workshop last December in Sheffield, where a consensus was reached on all 31 expressions of interest received for Trailblazer status.
The regional development agencies were not consulted during the selection process. An economic analysis of the skill needs of each sector was available to the shortlisting panel.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which sector skills councils were awarded Trailblazer status; and what is the(a) budget and (b) location of each. [32854]
§ John HealeyFrom the 31 expressions of interest received, the following five sectors were invited to form a Trailblazer Sector Skills Council:
- Apparel, footwear and textile
- Audio visual industries
- Land-based industries
- Oil and gas extraction; petroleum refining and distribution; and chemical manufacture
- Retail.
Each will have up to £100,000 for their development phase and up to £1 million for support of core activities in their first year.
The Trailblazer SSCs will operate throughout the UK. Each Trailblazer SSC will be responsible for deciding the location of their own offices.