Skills council issue statement

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The Learning and Skills Council have hit back at claims that they closed health & safety courses following their recently published statement of priorities.

In an article published yesterday on FE News, Roger Kline, Head of Equality and Employment Rights at the University and College Union (UCU), expressed concerns that the LSC’s withdrawal of some funding on such courses would prove detrimental.

In response, Kevin Street, the LSC’s Head of Funding Policy Development, said: “The LSC does not close courses. “Raising Our Game” is about being clear on the priorities for funding. Colleges are being encouraged to offer these courses at full cost ““ not to close them”.

“We will continue to fund some courses where they are a requirement of Level 2 or 3 training within qualifications like the CORGI registration but not the ongoing updating, which are an ongoing business requirement and therefore the responsibility of the employer”.

“The LSC is responsible for achieving a wide range of Government targets to make England better skilled, including increasing the numbers of individuals with Basic Skills, and full Level 2 and 3 qualifications. To do this we are required to balance contributions from the Government with those from employers. It is an employer’s statutory responsibility to train their staff in health and safety”.

“Therefore in “Priorities for Success” in October 2005 we announced that funding would cease in 2006. Before making these changes we consulted across Government departments and with the Health and Safety Executive”, he added.

Vijay Pattni.

Related FE News articles:

FE Leaders Respond to LSC Report ““ 20/10/06

Skills Council Priority Report ““ 19/10/06

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