Clause 22
Further Education and Training Bill [Lords]
1:15 pm
Phil Hope (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Skills), Department for Education and Skills; Corby, Labour)
We have published draft indicative regulations about how an organisation might go about that. For example, it could take a sample of employers—not inside the federation but within the industry and subject to the levy—and do a sampling process of those employers. The regulations would give the hon. Gentleman the reassurances that he requires: there is a formal process that organisations have to go through in order to carry out surveys and sampling outside those bodies that are inside the federation of the ITB. That will be laid out in regulations, which I believe have already been circulated for members of the Committee to look at, so that he can be assured that those regulations are there. Essentially, the ITB will be able to demonstrate to the Secretary of State that there is industrial support, both from members of the federation and from those outside of it, through the sampling method. Those regulations include provisions about consulting representative organisations. With those assurances, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will withdraw his amendment.
I was tempted to take this opportunity to observe that levies can be used to fund apprenticeships, which would have given me a chance to comment on what the hon. Gentleman said earlier about apprenticeships. However, I guess that you would not allow me to stray so far from the clause, Mr. Atkinson.
I would not want to intimidate the hon. Gentleman by getting my violins out again and demonstrating that his accusations, which undermine the current apprenticeship system, are wholly unfounded and wrong. Rather, I invite him to celebrate success—both the expansion in the number of apprenticeships and the completion rates around the country. I shall be at the apprenticeship awards next week to give prizes to the employers and apprentices who are doing so much to raise skill levels.