Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has backed Labour’s plans to invest in skills and jobs for the futures.
Gwynne has accused the Government of overseeing a “decade of decline”, which has seen the number of apprenticeships fall and economic growth stagnate.
The Labour Party has pledged to make skills a key plank of its plans for Government. It has committed to boost skills training, and create a new Taskforce called ‘Skills England’, which would drive forward a national mission to deliver the skills needed for the next decade.
Labour’s plan for skills would:
- Turn the Tories’ failed Apprenticeships Levy into a ‘Growth and Skills Levy’ enabling firms to spend up to 50% of their levy contributions, including current underspend, on non-apprenticeship training – including modular courses and functional skills courses to tackle key skills gaps. By reserving 50% of the Growth and Skills Levy for apprenticeships, we will protect existing apprenticeship provision
- Better align skills policy with regional economic policy and local labour markets by devolving combining and various adult education skills funding streams to current and future combined authorities
- Establish a new expert body, Skills England, to oversee the national effort to meet the skills needs of the coming decade across all regions, and ensure we can deliver our Climate Investment Pledge.
Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:
“Over the last 13 years, communities right across Denton and Reddish have been neglected by this Conservative Government.
I want to see a Britain where everyone has access to the training and skills they need to thrive.
That’s why I’m so proud to back Labour’s plans to invest in local people and the jobs of the future.”