Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Thirtieth Report - Developing workforce skills for a strong economy
Public Accounts Committee
HC 685
Published 14 December 2022
Recommendations
3
Accepted
The multiplicity of government skills programmes makes it hard for employers and individuals to navigate...
Recommendation
The multiplicity of government skills programmes makes it hard for employers and individuals to navigate to the training that best meets their needs. As well as DfE’s range of interventions to support skills development, DWP and DLUHC also offer skills …
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Government Response Summary
The government will simplify the further education funding system, integrate the Traineeship programme into existing provision, simplify the post-16 qualifications landscape, improve alignment between the National Careers Service and The Careers & Enterprise Company, deliver joined-up campaigns under the Skills for Life brand, and work closely with other departments to address workforce issues.
HM Treasury
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4
Accepted
Employers are spending less than they used to on workforce training, which risks leaving the...
Recommendation
Employers are spending less than they used to on workforce training, which risks leaving the economy without the skills it needs. DfE’s employer skills surveys indicate that employers’ spending on workforce training per employee fell in real terms from £1,710 …
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Government Response Summary
The government will review how it incentivises employers to invest in skills development, including through the apprenticeship levy, and take action to improve the effectiveness of the incentives, with a focus on SMEs and making apprenticeships more flexible.
HM Treasury
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5
Accepted
We are concerned that continuing financial pressures and workforce challenges are hampering colleges’ ability to...
Recommendation
We are concerned that continuing financial pressures and workforce challenges are hampering colleges’ ability to play a full part in the skills system. Colleges play an important role in reaching disadvantaged groups and giving people opportunities they would not otherwise …
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Government Response Summary
The government will provide an additional £1.6 billion for 16-19 year olds education, uplift funding rates, increase cost weighting for specific subjects, address uneven monthly payments to colleges, and invest in direct support for the FE sector including bursaries and recruitment campaigns.
HM Treasury
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14
Accepted
DfE has a range of programmes to support workforce skills development, including well-established programmes such...
Recommendation
DfE has a range of programmes to support workforce skills development, including well-established programmes such as apprenticeships, along with newer initiatives such as Skills Bootcamps. In addition, other government departments, including DWP and DLUHC, run or fund programmes that contain …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees to review the number of skills programmes and eliminate overlap between them, having consulted on proposals for a simpler further education funding system and integrating the Traineeship programme into existing provision from August 2023.
HM Treasury
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Conclusions (5)
10
Conclusion
Accepted
DfE has a framework of performance metrics for its portfolio of skills programmes which includes system-level measures, such as participation in FE and skills training by 7 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.17, 2.21, Figure 8 8 Qq 12, 14, 16 9 Qq 14, 32 10 DWE0002 Federation of Small Businesses, Developing …
Government Response Summary
The department continues to develop a comprehensive framework of performance metrics, including system-level measures, such as participation in FE and skills training by adults aged 19 and over, and measures for individual programmes, such as the number of apprenticeship starts.
16
Conclusion
Accepted
The NAO report highlighted that there exists a complex and sometimes overlapping set of skills-related initiatives, and the system can seem complicated and difficult to navigate. For example, people can access numeracy training through at least three routes: DfE’s Essential skills – numeracy programme, some standalone technical qualifications, and the …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s conclusion and will deliver a simpler further education funding system by consulting on proposals, announcing new flexibility for funding in devolved areas, and setting simpler funding rates. It will also integrate the Traineeship programme into existing provision, simplify the qualifications landscape, improve alignment between the National Careers Service and The Careers & Enterprise Company, deliver joined-up campaigns under a single brand, and work with other departments to address workforce issues.
17
Conclusion
Accepted
We asked how DfE was ensuring that the incentives for employers to take part in training programmes, particularly traineeships and DWP’s Kickstart scheme were working effectively. Kickstart was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and funded employers to create jobs for people aged 16 to 24. DfE told us …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s conclusion and will deliver a simpler further education funding system by consulting on proposals, announcing new flexibility for funding in devolved areas, and setting simpler funding rates. It will also integrate the Traineeship programme into existing provision, simplify the qualifications landscape, improve alignment between the National Careers Service and The Careers & Enterprise Company, deliver joined-up campaigns under a single brand, and work with other departments to address workforce issues.
18
Conclusion
Accepted
We also asked DfE about the multiplicity of available programmes. It asserted that long lists of programmes could look a little misleading. It explained that the bulk of skills funding went to a relatively small number of interventions, specifically apprenticeships, the free courses for jobs and qualifications-based programmes that are …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s conclusion and will deliver a simpler further education funding system by consulting on proposals, announcing new flexibility for funding in devolved areas, and setting simpler funding rates. It will also integrate the Traineeship programme into existing provision, simplify the qualifications landscape, improve alignment between the National Careers Service and The Careers & Enterprise Company, deliver joined-up campaigns under a single brand, and work with other departments to address workforce issues.
26
Conclusion
Accepted
In February 2022, DfE announced the creation of a Unit for Future Skills to look at data and evidence on where skills gaps exist and in what industries. The Unit will examine the interaction between the jobs and skills markets, and work with the Office for National Statistics to produce …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s conclusion and details the growth and planned work of the Unit for Future Skills (UFS), with success measured by access to robust jobs and skills information. Success will be assessed by the UFS Board and Chair, Sir Ian Diamond.