Recommendation 1

Given the primacy of the Government’s economic growth mission, and the emphasis the Government has placed on a high-functioning and forward- looking skills system to deliver that mission, the comparison between the status of Skills England on the one hand and organisations such as the Met Office and the DVLA on the other is a weak one. Skills England has been given the crucial role of transforming skills opportunities and driving growth and it is vital that it is able to work impartially and, if necessary, challenge Government policy. We were concerned, therefore, by the reluctance of the Chairs and CEOs of Skills England to comment on the adequacy of funding for the FE sector when they gave oral evidence. Furthermore, without a statutory foundation, Skills England may be altered or abolished by this or any future Government and without the consent of Parliament. (Conclusion, Paragraph 17)