§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what forecast he has made of the demand in the United Kingdom labour market in(a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years' time; what forecast he has made of the need for (i) graduates, (ii) those with vocational qualifications and (iii) semi-skilled and unskilled workers; and if he will make a statement. [136023]
§ Mr. BrowneBy long-standing convention, the Department for Work and Pensions does not make forecasts of the overall level of demand for labour.
Research published in the Skills in England Report 2002, suggests that demand for formal qualifications and for those with higher level skills—including graduates and those with higher level vocational qualifications—is likely to continue to grow. Demand for those with lower level skills is likely, overall, to decline.
Through the Government's active labour market policies, such as the New Deal and Ambition initiatives, we have provided thousands of people with the skills, experience and confidence they need to succeed in the modern labour market. Along with more people staying on in post-compulsory education there are increases in the number of people with skills and fewer people with low or no skills or qualifications.