| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
11 Jun 2009 : Column 1010W—continued
we are investing a further £1 billion per year until 2010-11 in Skills for Life.
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's skills base. [279023]
Kevin Brennan: This Department will continue to ensure the successful delivery of the Government Skills agenda.
Train to Gain has helped nearly one million learners and thousands of businesses. Starts in 2007-08 totalled 331,800—an increase of 60.8 per cent. on 2006-07.
Apprenticeship starts have increased from 65,000 in 1996-97 to 224,800 for 2007-09. This represents the largest ever number of people starting an Apprenticeship.
Over 5.7 million adults have engaged with the Skills for Life programme. 12 million Skills for Life opportunities have been taken up, with over 2.8 million adults gaining a first qualification. We have met the 2010 target of 2.25 million achievements in skills for life two years early.
Low-Carbon Economy
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to assist in the development of a low-carbon economy. [279021]
Mr. McFadden: A low carbon economy represents a huge economic opportunity for the UK, and is at the heart of ‘New Industry, New Jobs’, the Government's strategic vision for Britain's economic recovery. Budget 2009 provided £1.4 billion of extra targeted support in the low carbon sector. The Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, to be published this summer, will provide a framework to ensure UK business and workers can compete successfully for the jobs of the low carbon future.
Social Mobility
Lynda Waltho:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what
policies of his Department have objectives to increase social mobility. [278999]
Mr. McFadden: The ‘New Opportunities’ White Paper sets out Government's commitment to help people get on and get ahead. The key actions we are taking include expanding apprenticeships; tackling the NEET problem; and widening participation in HE. We are tripling the number of career development loans and maximising the help that FE colleges and providers can give to individuals looking for work or wanting to get on.
Building enterprise capability and the confidence and ambition to start a business are critical and we are supporting some key activities to enable individuals and businesses to start and grow. We are:
Working with young people to provide them with experience of enterprise and opportunities to develop the necessary skills and confidence;
Directly supporting individuals to hone their ideas and start a business as well as established businesses who want to thrive and grow through the Government's streamlined portfolio of business support products and services, delivered via Business Link;
And helping to remove barriers to enterprise especially improving access to finance.
| Index | Home Page |