Recommendations & Conclusions
7 items
2
Recommendation
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
The Government must commission analysis to identify where the nation’s immediate and longer-term skills needs lie. This should be regularly updated, as real-time labour markets data is essential for ensuring that reforms to adult skills and lifelong learning are properly linked to skills needs. (Paragraph 10) The need for a …
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The Government must commission analysis to identify where the nation’s immediate and longer-term skills needs lie. This should be regularly updated, as real-time labour markets data is essential for ensuring that reforms to adult skills and lifelong learning are properly linked to skills needs. (Paragraph 10) The need for a national strategy
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Government response AI summary
The government states it is already undertaking analysis through various means, including the recently announced Skills and Productivity Board which will provide expert analysis, and the ongoing Employer Skills Survey. It also mentions future consultations and reviews of funded qualifications to adapt to changing economic …
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Department for Education
3
Conclusion
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
Government policy on adult skills and lifelong learning has tended to be short- term, piecemeal, and initiative-led. The result has been a substantial churn of adult education initiatives which has worked against the implementation of a coherent, long-term strategic vision for adult education. Adult skills and lifelong learning is a …
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Government policy on adult skills and lifelong learning has tended to be short- term, piecemeal, and initiative-led. The result has been a substantial churn of adult education initiatives which has worked against the implementation of a coherent, long-term strategic vision for adult education. Adult skills and lifelong learning is a clear strategic priority, yet participation in adult education is at its lowest rate for 23 years.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need for adult support and states its "Skills for Jobs White Paper" sets out a long-term strategy to reform adult learning, addressing the committee's concerns about short-term, piecemeal policies.
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Department for Education
7
Conclusion
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
The ability to study bite-size modules rather than commit to full qualifications is a much-needed reform that will make it easier for adults to upskill and retrain. Developing qualifications that can be taken in modules will enable adults with busy working lives and caring responsibilities to build up qualifications over …
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The ability to study bite-size modules rather than commit to full qualifications is a much-needed reform that will make it easier for adults to upskill and retrain. Developing qualifications that can be taken in modules will enable adults with busy working lives and caring responsibilities to build up qualifications over time and ensure their skills stay relevant in a changing job market.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the value of flexible and modular learning, highlighting existing flexible provisions and committing to making the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (from 2025) usable for modules at higher technical and degree levels.
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Department for Education
32
Recommendation
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
Employer investment in training is in decline, with low paid, low skilled workers hardest hit by the decline. A skills tax credit to incentivise employers to invest in training for workers with no or low qualifications will help to revitalise employer- led training.
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Employer investment in training is in decline, with low paid, low skilled workers hardest hit by the decline. A skills tax credit to incentivise employers to invest in training for workers with no or low qualifications will help to revitalise employer- led training.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that training expenditure is already tax deductible and highlights existing incentives like the Apprenticeship Levy, which funds employer-led apprenticeships, implicitly addressing the call for a skills tax credit.
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Department for Education
33
Recommendation
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
The Government must support employers to invest in the development of their workforces. The Government should introduce a skills tax credit, for employers who invest in training for workers. This should be tapered so that the tax credit is more generous to employers who provide training for employees with lower …
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The Government must support employers to invest in the development of their workforces. The Government should introduce a skills tax credit, for employers who invest in training for workers. This should be tapered so that the tax credit is more generous to employers who provide training for employees with lower prior qualifications.
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Government response AI summary
The government does not commit to introducing a new skills tax credit, instead highlighting existing tax deductions, the Apprenticeship Levy, and various other government investments and financial support mechanisms already in place or recently announced to encourage employer investment in skills.
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Department for Education
36
Recommendation
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
Part-time higher education student numbers have been decimated, and numbers of part-time learners from the most disadvantaged backgrounds fell by 42% between 2010 and 2015. Flexible part-time university study is a key route for delivering a highly skilled workforce and the Department needs to prioritise reforms that will restore the …
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Part-time higher education student numbers have been decimated, and numbers of part-time learners from the most disadvantaged backgrounds fell by 42% between 2010 and 2015. Flexible part-time university study is a key route for delivering a highly skilled workforce and the Department needs to prioritise reforms that will restore the part-time higher education sector.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need for flexible study, outlining past steps taken such as loans for part-time learners. It also commits to introducing the Lifelong Loan Entitlement from 2025, which will make it easier for adults to study flexibly, and will consult on its …
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Department for Education
42
Recommendation
Third report - A plan for an adult skil…
Accepted
The new UK Shared Prosperity Fund offers an opportunity to improve on the design and administration of European Structural Investment Funds in relation to the funding of adult skills. Cross-government working will be critical to delivering the cross-cutting agenda this funding supports. We expect the Department to take a far …
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The new UK Shared Prosperity Fund offers an opportunity to improve on the design and administration of European Structural Investment Funds in relation to the funding of adult skills. Cross-government working will be critical to delivering the cross-cutting agenda this funding supports. We expect the Department to take a far more proactive stance in inter-Departmental discussions on the successor funds for both the ESF and the ERDF, and to ensure that local and combined authorities feed into those discussions.
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Government response AI summary
The government confirms it is working closely with other departments to establish the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and will work in partnership with devolved administrations and local communities, who will have a place within the fund's governance structures. Further details on the investment framework will …
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Department for Education