§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his plans for taking forward the National Skills Strategy. [126487]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisAt national level, we will build a new Skills Alliance to bring together key economic and delivery partners who will work with the Government to drive forward the Skills Strategy. The Alliance will comprise the key departments (Department for Education and Skills, Department of Trade and Industry, Department for Work and Pensions and the Treasury), the economic partners (the CBI, the TUC and Small Business Council) and the key delivery agencies. We will also invite the Regional Development Agency in each region, working with its partners, to put forward proposals for joint working at regional and local level. The Sector Skills Councils will be major contributors to the process.
The Skills Alliance will ensure collaboration between key partners through the new regional structures, engage employers, trade unions and their representative organisations, advise the Government on the effectiveness of the Skills Strategy and report annually on progress.