§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in establishing defence colleges as centres of vocational excellence. [168468]
§ Mr. CaplinIn support of its strong and continuing commitment to meet its training needs in the most effective, efficient and economical manner, the Ministry of Defence has recently taken a major step in the Defence Training Rationalisation Programme by establishing six Defence Colleges for specialist skills training. As a major public employer and training provider in support of the Government's skills agenda, the Department also contributes significantly to the nation's wider economic and social well-being. In so doing, the Department responds to all relevant Government initiatives and is assessing the applicability of seeking Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status for its developing Defence Colleges.