To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department has commissioned research on the extent to which further education institutions are equipping students with the skills needed to help them make a contribution to the creative economy. (227187)

The Department has not itself commissioned any research into this issue. In November 2006 DCMS published on their website the findings of an Education and Skills Working Group review of the contribution education and skills make to the creative economy agenda. This was part of their wider creative economy programme, and included the mapping of existing provision.

In addition, a key part of the work of the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) is to set out the current and future skill needs of employers in their sectors. Sector skills agreements identify the skills priorities and actions that need to be taken by stakeholders across the education and skills system. Government have provided support for the SSCs in carrying out this work. In relation to the creative economy, there are three lead SSCs that have each published sector agreements. These are Creative and Cultural Skills (advertising, crafts, music, performing, heritage, design and arts sectors), Skillset (broadcasting, photo imaging, audio visual and publishing sectors) and Skillfast (fashion and textiles).