10:30 am
Mr. Simon: If I can just respond to those two points, and I think that Jim would then like to answer some of John’s points in his opening question. I do not think that the dual reporting of the NAS chief executive to the two Secretaries of State is inherently impossible or dreadfully convoluted. The apprenticeship system comprises two components, one of which falls under the remit of, and is funded by, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, while the other component falls under the remit of, and is funded by, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The components are obviously split by age and have separate concerns, which is why they are covered by separate Departments. Apprenticeships are extremely important and form a central plank of what both Departments are trying to achieve. As such, we think the dual reporting function to be right and perfectly coherent.
On sector skills councils, it is true that they are not writ large on the face of the Bill, but that should not leave anybody in any doubt that they remain at the heart of the system. Part of the Bill refers to the specification of apprenticeship standards for England, to which sector skills councils are central. The councils will be responsible for producing apprenticeship frameworks. That is not in any doubt. It is, and will remain, the case. As I say, they may not be writ large on the face of the Bill, because we did not feel that they needed to be, but nobody should be in any doubt that they are central to the system.