Member

The problem that some of us have with the Bill is that it feels like the second half is missing. The second half is the establishment of Skills England as a statutory body. There is a lot of merit in giving that status to the body, and to its chief executive and chair, to be able to work across Whitehall with other government departments and other Ministers, and with mayors, leaders of trade unions and substantial employer bodies. Being subsumed within a division of the Department for Education, not even accountable to the Permanent Secretary, and, as the noble Baroness said, with the CEO not accountable to the board, is problematic. The Minister needs to reflect on it.