Job cuts will 'undermine skills agenda'

Friday, 16 September 2005 12:00 AM

The body responsible for promoting skills and learning in England is cutting 1,300 staff as part of a major restructuring programme, it was announced today.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) expects to save £40 million on management and running costs, which it says will be redirected to learners.

But the PCS union, which represents more than 300,000 public sector employees, warned the cuts would "seriously undermine" the government's skills agenda.

"This announcement undermines the importance Gordon Brown placed earlier this week on learning and skills for the economy and further exposes the crude cost cutting key services by the government," said general secretary Mark Serwotka.

There are now more than 800,000 adults improving their basic skills through employer training skills, as well as record numbers of apprentices and young people in learning.

"But, it's not enough. The LSC is capable of doing much more - and it is capable of doing it more efficiently and effectively," said chief executive Mark Haysom.

"We want to develop new, less bureaucratic and more strategic relationships with partners to ensure better quality and more relevant training for employers and individuals.

"The LSC must make itself easier to deal with as an organisation, and ensure that every penny works hard for the taxpayer."

Higher education minister Bill Rammell acknowledged the impact the job cuts would have, but said the restructuring was "an essential part" of the LSC's aim to deliver more effective post-16 education.

"This government will continue to drive up participation and standards through the LSC. Delivery of teaching and learning can be enhanced by concentrating activities regionally where they can be done better at that level," he said.

But Mr Serwotka warned the job cuts, which will be carried out by June next year, would "wreak havoc" with the delivery of vocational agenda and would undermine the LSC's ability to deliver its £9 million yearly budget in a "proper and accountable way".

"These cuts will bring devastation to the delivery of vocational courses, apprenticeships and adult learning, seriously undermining the government's skills agenda," he said.

He warned the PCS would be mounting a "vigorous campaign" against the cuts, which could include industrial action "as a last resort".

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