The government is planning to pull the skills brief out of the Department for Education and move it to a new department.
Prime minister Keir Starmer is understood to be moving the skills brief to the Department for Work and Pensions, under a new secretary of state, Pat McFadden.
The new reported ‘growth department’ will be formed from the current Department for Work and Pensions and will include skills.
Pat McFadden, formerly of the Cabinet Office, moved jobs in today’s cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Angela Rayner.
It is not yet known whether skills minister Jacqui Smith will continue in the role, or whether 16-19 education, universities or apprenticeships will be moved.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson remains in post.
Responsibility for FE and skills was under the remit of the former Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) until then prime minister Theresa May moved them to the DfE in 2016.
More to follow…
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