Skills England will become part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from today, the prime minister has confirmed.
In a written ministerial statement, Sir Keir Starmer said apprenticeships, adult further education, skills, training and careers, and the newly created agency Skills England will all now be controlled by DWP.
However, responsibility for higher education, and further education, skills, training and careers for those “aged 19 years and under” will remain at the Department for Education (DfE).
The prime minister’s statement on the machinery of government change is the first official confirmation of the Whitehall power shift since news first emerged during the reshuffle that followed deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s resignation 11 days ago.
It comes days after FE Week revealed apprenticeships would be controlled by DWP and ahead of a long-awaited post-16 skills education and skills white paper, due this term.
Skills England is a newly created executive agency which officially came into being in June this year, with the aim of understanding the country’s skills needs, simplifying access to skills to boost growth and mobilising employers and other partners to create solutions to skills needs.
Newly appointed work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden has said he will be “expanding” access to skills training in a bid to lower the government’s benefit bill and bring down stubbornly high numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
In an interview with FE Week last week, Smith said the move will mean a “bigger emphasis on skills” which will be “integrated” with the labour market.
Sector experts see the alignment of skills and employment support policies as long needed, but details of how exactly the government plans to do so in a way that increases growth, productivity and employment rates are yet to emerge.
Some have also voiced concerns that moving the skills brief to the DWP risks being another “upheaval” that distracts ministers and officials from their goals.
Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said: “We are adding skills to the job description of the Department for Work and Pensions as we accelerate our drive to Get Britain Working.
“By equipping people with the skills they need, we will build a workforce that is fit for the future and support people off benefits and into jobs.
“Our renewed focus comes as we deliver the biggest overhaul of jobcentres in a generation and a £240 million investment to boost employment.”
Where’s the front door?
Skills England co-chief executive Sarah Maclean told MPs the move to DWP “really makes sense.”
Maclean was providing evidence to the business and trade select committee as this story went live (see clip below).
Eagle-eyed Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds asked: “FE Week have just reported Skills England will be moving into DWP … Why are we splitting skills between the DWP and the Department for Education? Is this not just going to confuse everyone 10 times more than we’re already confused?”
He continued: “Where’s the front door? In the last 40 minutes you’ve used words like colleges, training, learning and teaching. When I hear those words I think Department for Education, yet Skills England comes under the Department for Work and Pensions. Where do people go to? Is there anyone who’s actually responsible, or is this just another area where it’s going to get caught in the crossfire between ministers back and forth?”
Maclean pointed to Smith’s role as a joint-minister in both departments and insisted “the front door for skills is Skills England”.
She explained: “I think the division of responsibilities between education and work and pensions actually brings some real benefits, particularly bringing skills closer to work policy. For example, our Skills England vision is better skills for better jobs. I think if you’re seeing it through that lens, it really makes sense.”
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