§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with business representatives on levels of literacy and numeracy skills of school-leavers. [185214]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisI have many discussions with a range of business leaders about skills needs at all levels, including regular meetings with the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and the Sector Skills Councils. I visit bursaries of all subjects on a regular basis.
At the Skills Strategy One Year on Conference on the 7 July, I welcomed the shared statement by the CBI, TUC (Trades Union Congress) and Small Business Council which emphasised the importance of ensuring employers, unions, employees, Government and training providers support the development of skills at basic level and Level 2 to improve employability.