HC Deb 02 February 2004 vol 417 cc671-2W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the number of people in the working age population in the West Midlands with no qualifications. [149831]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

[holding answer 26 January 2004]We are committed to raising the skill levels of adults in the workforce, and in particular, supporting adults with no, or low qualifications to gain qualifications that give them the foundation skills for employability.

The Skills Strategy White Paper, "21st Century Skills Realising Our Potential", published in July last year, set out a number of key measures to address this issue. And we have already put in place support for adults with basic skill needs through our Skills for Life Strategy.

The White Paper announced the introduction of a new entitlement to free learning for all those studying for their first full level 2 qualification as foundation for employability. We have begun to pilot the introduction of a new adult learning grant of up to £30 a week for full time learners studying for their first NVQ Level 2 qualification or equivalent.

We have also put in place a strategy to ensure that low-skilled adults receive high quality information, advice and guidance to help them choose the right course for them.

We are running 12 Employer Training Pilots, of which two are in the West Midlands, to encourage employers to invest in skills and qualifications, particularly for low skilled trainees. They are testing out a package of financial support measures to improve access to training and enable employees to develop basic skills and NVQ level 2 qualifications.

In the West Midlands, six professional development centres have been established as a result of partnerships between the local LSCs and the Universities of Wolverhampton, Warwick, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. These are aimed at providing support and opportunities for all those working across the spectrum of Skills for Life delivery—teachers, voluntary sector workers and those working in Adult and Community Learning.

We are working nationally to engage employers in activity to address the basic skills needs of their employees. This includes raising demand in the workplace and ensuring that appropriate advice and guidance is available to employers to help them establish the learning programmes they require for their employees. In the West Midlands, we have established a group of employer champions who will push the message that basic skills are important to other employers.

Advantage West Midlands has responded to our invitation to RDAs and their regional partners to draw up proposals for Regional Skills Partnerships. The Partnerships aim to ensure that the work of different agencies involved in delivering the aims of the Skills Strategy—the Learning and Skills Councils, Jobcentre Plus, the Skills for Business network, the Small Business Service and others—are better co-ordinated and delivered in a way that connects with the needs of employers at individual and regional, local and sectoral levels. We will be talking to Advantage West Midlands about their proposal and their plans to set up the Partnership in the West Midlands in April 2004.