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date: 21 March 2007

embargo: immediate

Welcome for Budget education and skills moves

Commenting on Budget proposals on education and skills, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'The Chancellor has shown real commitment to education and skills with a real boost in resources that will bring huge benefits to both the economy and wider society. The Government is right to narrow the gap in spending between state and private schools.

'We welcome the Government's commitment to making education or training a right for every young person up to the age of 18. This is not just a real social advance, but an essential investment in our economic future.

'Extra money for schools can deliver a more personalised learning agenda for pupils and also offer extended school services, but it is important that the workforce gets proper training.

'While no-one expected a full response to the Leitch review today, the Government needs to ensure that public funding for skills increases significantly over the coming years and to do more to ensure employers play their part.

'We welcome the other initiatives on skills, including plans to ensure that benefit claimants can access a wider range of education and skills opportunities, and the announcement to extend pilots providing paid time off to train for young employees.'

'The Budget also rightly acknowledged that the ability to speak English can be an important step towards finding work, but the TUC is concerned that the announcement to trial a work-focused approach to ESOL courses should not be at the expense of the wider social benefits of English language training.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337; M: 07881 622416;
E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 21 Mar 2007