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Employment-related Skills

Volume 487: debated on Thursday 29 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps he has taken to improve the employment-related skills levels of people with low skills. (252520)

This Government are committed to giving real help to people who want to improve their skills levels during this difficult time. Alongside existing programmes and training provision, we have announced new measures to provide employment-focused training for people facing or at risk of redundancy, as well as those who have been out of work for a longer period of time:

£158 million, comprising funding from Train to Gain and the European Social Fund, which will allow training providers to deliver a holistic service to support individuals facing redundancy and employers.

£83 million to provide 75,000 additional places in colleges and other training providers for people who have been out of work for more than six months.

£140 million to fund an additional 35,000 apprentices nationally in both the public and private sectors.