Skills Funding and the Skills Funding Agency (Chief Executive)

Tuesday 20th December 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (Mr John Hayes)]

Further to my announcement on 1 November, I would inform Parliament about the outcome of the review into the status of the chief executive of skills funding and the Skills Funding Agency.

The review has concluded that the existing arrangement of a statutory post holder should be replaced with a more traditional Executive agency model. This is consistent with the Government’s wider commitment to improve radically the transparency and accountability for all public services, providing clarity and focus to the work of the agency and ensuring that skills and apprenticeship programmes are delivered within an overarching strategic framework set by Government.

The Skills Funding Agency will continue to play a vital role in funding the education and skills training that our country needs to tackle the very real challenges that lie ahead; and the outcome of this review reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to building on the strength of the further education system, while ensuring rigorous accountability structures are in place.

I can confirm that both the Skills Funding Agency and wider stakeholders have been fully engaged in the review process, and I will be writing to them today about the outcome of this work.

We will bring forward legislation for this change as and when parliamentary time allows.