Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 45
45
Accepted
Utilise local data to address barriers in areas with below-average qualification attainment.
Conclusion
We also recommend that the Department utilises local authority-level data to identify and address the unique barriers in areas in which attainment across qualification pathways (including A Levels, T Levels, AGQs) is below the national average. (Recommendation, Paragraph 171)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating Skills England is already strengthening jobs and skills data by mapping pathways and developing a new skills taxonomy. It will also develop a Local Skills Dashboard for effective data release and publish research interests by early 2026 to further improve data collection.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
ACCEPT Skills England recognises the need to strengthen and expand jobs and skills data across government to enable robust skills needs assessments, particularly at local levels. High-quality data is also essential for delivering the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change. Progress is already underway: Skills England has begun mapping training pathways into jobs, as detailed in the Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030 report published in August 2025, and is developing the UK Standard Skills Classification, a new skills taxonomy, with a prototype due for public release shortly. Skills England has also taken ownership of the Employer Skills Survey, which captures data on employer-led training. Despite these steps, significant gaps remain in the current data landscape. Closing these gaps requires Skills England to go further in improving data collection and dissemination. In the short term, Skills England is exploring how to leverage data held by private organisations and enhance the value of existing datasets, such as the Employer Skills Survey. The Local Skills Dashboard will be developed as a model for releasing data more effectively. By early 2026, Skills England plans to publish a note outlining its Areas of Research Interest, including proposals to expand its own data collection initiatives. Over the longer term, Skills England will seek further, more substantial improvements in jobs and skills data by promoting cross-government collaboration in the use of data collected by other bodies.