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| Pledge for a 'skills revolution' | Pledge for a 'skills revolution' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The government has pledged to boost Britain's skills base with a "demand-led" approach and better links between employers and education. | |
| Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, said the aim was to make the UK a world leader in skills by 2020. | Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, said the aim was to make the UK a world leader in skills by 2020. |
| The proposals include an adult careers service for England. They follow the Leitch report on skills. | The proposals include an adult careers service for England. They follow the Leitch report on skills. |
| Lord Leitch said the UK lagged behind in adult literacy and numeracy. | Lord Leitch said the UK lagged behind in adult literacy and numeracy. |
| Speaking in the Commons, John Denham said: "We will bring about a skills revolution and close the gap between where we are now and where we need to be in 2020. | Speaking in the Commons, John Denham said: "We will bring about a skills revolution and close the gap between where we are now and where we need to be in 2020. |
| "Our ambition is to ensure that this country becomes a world leader in skills by 2020." | "Our ambition is to ensure that this country becomes a world leader in skills by 2020." |
| 'World leader' target | 'World leader' target |
| Lord Leitch's key recommendation that the age for compulsory education should rise from 16 to 18 has already been taken up by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. | Lord Leitch's key recommendation that the age for compulsory education should rise from 16 to 18 has already been taken up by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. |
| His report, published in December, said five million adults lacked "functional literacy" while more than 17 million had problems with numbers. | His report, published in December, said five million adults lacked "functional literacy" while more than 17 million had problems with numbers. |
| Lord Leitch had urged ministers to commit to a "compelling new vision" and to become a world leader in skills by 2020. | Lord Leitch had urged ministers to commit to a "compelling new vision" and to become a world leader in skills by 2020. |
| The government accepted a target he had set for 95% of adults to have basic skills in literacy and numeracy, with the aim of 1.1 million more people achieving this over the next three years. | The government accepted a target he had set for 95% of adults to have basic skills in literacy and numeracy, with the aim of 1.1 million more people achieving this over the next three years. |
| Mr Denham said the government wanted a "skills revolution", in which vocational training was "employer-led" and demand-led, so that colleges would aim to provide training in what local people or businesses wanted. | |
| "We must ensure the rising generation starts working life with higher qualifications and higher skills," he said. | "We must ensure the rising generation starts working life with higher qualifications and higher skills," he said. |
| He announced the setting up a new career service for adults in England, which would offer advice on training, job-seeking and childcare. | He announced the setting up a new career service for adults in England, which would offer advice on training, job-seeking and childcare. |
| The number of apprenticeships would be increased and there would be a new entitlement to free training for 19 to 25-year-olds, he said. | The number of apprenticeships would be increased and there would be a new entitlement to free training for 19 to 25-year-olds, he said. |
| This statement should have been a recognition that we needed a change from the failed approach of the past David Willetts, shadow universities and skills secretary | This statement should have been a recognition that we needed a change from the failed approach of the past David Willetts, shadow universities and skills secretary |
| He also said a new UK commission for employment and skills, set up after a recommendation from Lord Leitch, would be reviewed in 2010. | He also said a new UK commission for employment and skills, set up after a recommendation from Lord Leitch, would be reviewed in 2010. |
| Mr Denham said if more people improved their skills, they would have access to better jobs, help cut child poverty and lead to "higher aspirations and better opportunities for their children". | Mr Denham said if more people improved their skills, they would have access to better jobs, help cut child poverty and lead to "higher aspirations and better opportunities for their children". |
| Shadow universities and skills secretary David Willetts said the government had "downgraded" its ambitions. | Shadow universities and skills secretary David Willetts said the government had "downgraded" its ambitions. |
| He agreed with the government's aims but the "centrally planned system" was failing to deliver on promises made for more than 10 years. | He agreed with the government's aims but the "centrally planned system" was failing to deliver on promises made for more than 10 years. |
| "This statement should have been a recognition that we needed a change from the failed approach of the past." | "This statement should have been a recognition that we needed a change from the failed approach of the past." |
| He completely agreed that a demand- led and employer-driven system was needed. | He completely agreed that a demand- led and employer-driven system was needed. |
| "But in order to deliver that type of system we need a tough-minded and rigorous assessment of how our skills policies need to change, and in reality that is not, I'm afraid, what we've had today," he said. | |
| The Liberal Democrats said the proposals amounted to a series of re-announcements. | The Liberal Democrats said the proposals amounted to a series of re-announcements. |