HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 c170W
Mr. Ruffley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the skills gap in the Suffolk work force aged over 16 years old. [131837]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

My Department measures skills gaps in the Employers Skills Survey. The 2001 survey indicated that 8 per cent. of establishments in Suffolk reported skills gaps within their current work force. This was slightly above the England average of 7 per cent.

Up to date information will be available through the LSC National Employers Skill Survey which will provide assessments of skills gaps in the current work force for individual LSC areas. It will be available in December 2003.