Member

As was mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, planning officers can be like hen’s teeth. I am very pleased that the Minister for Skills has come into the Room, because one of the keys to this is that many councils would like to develop more of their own planning officers but, as the noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, mentioned, we may take them through an apprenticeship process for them to be immediately poached. It is important that, when we look at the apprenticeship system and the apprenticeship levy, there should be more flexibility in how councils use them to encourage more apprentices and for councils not to be just training schools for the private sector.