Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Deferred
Utilise trailblazer model to pilot comprehensive skills devolution programme and report findings.
Recommendation
The Government should consider utilising the trailblazer model to pilot a more comprehensive skills devolution programme and report back to the Committee. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)
Government Response Summary
The government states the recommendation is under review and reiterates its ambition for devolved powers, noting its commitment to continue piloting arrangements with Established Mayoral Authorities to inform further devolution frameworks, citing the devolution of Construction Skills Package funding as an example.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
UNDER REVIEW It is the Government’s ambition that all of England can access devolved powers by establishing Strategic Authorities to make the key decisions over strategic scale and drive economic growth. Strategic Authorities should take the form of Combined or Combined County Authorities (outside of London) over areas of genuine strategic scale. The Government recognises the importance of local leaders delivering high-quality provision that utilises local knowledge and expertise, and is keen to continue to work with Strategic Authorities to explore their role in the skills system more broadly, both through devolution of powers and collaborative working. As noted in the Committee’s report, the Department introduced an expanded adult skills framework in the English Devolution White Paper, including non-ringfenced devolution of all non-apprenticeship funding to Mayoral Strategic Authorities, reflecting the important role Mayors play driving local growth and supporting labour market and skills needs, and joint ownership of the LSIP model with ERBs for all Strategic Authorities. The Devolution White Paper also stated that the government will continue to pilot arrangements with Established Mayoral Authorities, with a view to informing further iterations of the devolution framework. An example of this is the devolution of Construction Skills Package funding, in which construction funding will be devolved to Strategic Authorities to pilot place-based delivery of key sector skills.