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Train to gain helps businesses of all sizes fight recession.
News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 04 February 2010
Business leaders have hailed the Government's flagship Train to Gain programme, saying it has helped them provide vital training to their staff during the downturn.
Both large and small businesses have reaped the benefits of Government funded training support, which is backed up by figures released today by the Learning and Skills Council.
In a survey of employers who use the training initiative, 80 per cent said they were likely to recommend Train to Gain to other employers and use it again themselves. A significant number of employers (41 per cent) also said Train to Gain had helped them cope with the recession.
Skills Minister Kevin Brennan said:
"These reports show that businesses value the change to offer staff high quality training, that they otherwise may not have been able to, through Train to Gain.
"Thousands of businesses and tens of thousands of employees have benefited from the improved skills delivered by our Train to Gain programme. This is crucial for the long term strength of the economy and the ability of individuals to fulfil their potential.
"The fact that so many learners and employers understand how vital skills and training can be shows how effective our support has been during difficult economic times. We remain committed to ensuring that as many people as possible get the skills they need to benefit from the opportunities of growth."
Bristol based MITIE Group PLC, the strategic outsourcing and asset management company, has more than 49,000 members of staff and has used Train to Gain to help with staff development.
Roger Goodman, Corporate Development Director, MITIE, said:
" Train to Gain has enabled MITIE to support our people with training and qualifications in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. The programme reaches people that are most in need of help and gives them the broad skills they need for work, and a platform from which to go on and develop."
Small business Best Service Europe LTD, based in Hull, specialises in the design, installation and servicing of bespoke automation systems for the maritime industry.
Managing Director Frank Butterfield, said:
"Train to Gain has revolutionised the way I view our company and how I want it to operate. It has allowed me to identify both our strengths and weaknesses and meet these challenges head on. Everyone is revitalised and keen to continue developing the business. We could even come out of the downturn better placed than when we went into it."
Since its launch in April 2006, Train to Gain learners have started over 1.54 million qualifications, and there have been over 960,000 qualifications awarded. More than 175,000 employers have been engaged through Train to Gain brokerage services. In 2010-11, the Government plans to invest nearly £1 billion through Train to Gain, building on the £38 billion that employers are already investing in training each year.
The support of businesses for Train to Gain is echoed through the LSC's figures, taken from over 9,000 employer and 7,000 learner interviews. Businesses have acclaimed the success of Train to Gain, with more than 75 per cent declaring it equipped their staff with valuable job related skills which improved performance.
Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of the LSC, said:
"This report shows that businesses have used Train to Gain to equip their employees with vital skills that have had a direct impact on their productivity. This is a critical business benefit in tough economic times.
"Workplace training has never been more responsive or flexible to the needs of employers and it is gratifying that more employers recognise the benefits of training their staff so they have a skilled workforce, ready for the upturn. The direct benefit to their business productivity and their employees is clear."
The employer report also found:
· Train to Gain continues to perform highly in encouraging employers to engage with training and development of staff.
· Employers have been able to train more staff and give them access to higher quality qualifications than they would have done otherwise.
· A high number of employers said Train to Gain helped them engage in training and development of their staff.
The Learner report found:
· Employees' satisfaction with Train to Gain remained high with more than 90 per cent pleased with their training.
· Nearly 90 per cent of learners said they hoped to get a qualification at the end of their training, with 85 per cent looking for skills that would look good in the future and improved their ability to do their job.
· The recession is having a positive impact on employee attitudes towards training making them keen to boost their chances in an unpredictable economic climate.
The Train to Gain evaluation report follows the recent "Going for Growth" and "Skills for Growth" strategies. These detail how the Government is continuing to invest in skills in order to help drive economic growth and productivity as the country emerges from recession. Committee on Standards in Public Life publishes annual report and response to IPSA consultation on MPs' expenses
Committee on Standards in Public Life publishes annual report and response to IPSA consultation on MPs' expenses
News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 02 February 2010
The Committee on Standards in Public Life today published its annual report for 2008-09 and its response to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's consultation on MPs' expenses
Sir Christopher Kelly, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said:
"The Committee's work over the past year has been dominated by the issue of MPs' expenses. Our inquiry into this issue involved extensive public consultation and we were pleased that the package of recommendations we put forward were accepted as a whole by the leaders of the three main parties and endorsed by the Speaker.
"Everyone recognises the importance of ensuring that the new system for reimbursing MPs' expenses is settled as soon as possible. It is vital that candidates standing for election in the coming months are clear about the system in place to support them and the standards expected of them.
"In preparing the new expenses scheme IPSA are required to consult and it should come as no surprise that my Committee continues to argue for the implementation of the package of recommendations that we made in our report last November.
"In particular we wish to highlight three issues:
• continued payment of mortgage interest during the 5 year transitional period should be conditional on the surrender of any capital gain attributable to that support;
• to ensure a system which is free from any suspicion of abuse, the employment of family members should cease and
• that the definition of what constitutes a reasonable commuting distance for MPs should be decided by an evidence based process. "
Copies of the annual report and full response to the IPSA consultation are available on the Committee's website www.public-standards.org.uk<?LINK> HEALEY BACKS PRIVATE TENANTS WITH EXTRA HELP AND PROTECTION
News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 03 February 2010
Housing Minister John Healey today announced new practical help and protection for tenants in privately rented homes. The moves will help tenants find safer and better homes for rent and offer extra support if they face problems with their landlords or accommodation.
A new housing hotline will open for business by the summer to offer private tenants free practical advice when problems occur and a new 'tripadvisor' style feedback website could allow tenants to post views on their accommodation and landlord.
Plans laid in parliament today to make written agreements a legal requirement for all tenancies will mean tenants are clear about their rights from the outset and information on the track record of prospective landlords in how they keep their properties up to scratch or how quickly they fix any faults will be available through a new National Landlords Register.
Tenancy rights will be extended to more people living in shared homes on short term lets - giving extra protection to around 150,000 more people including many students and seasonal workers.
Privately rented homes provide a flexible housing option to three million households in England. But while the vast majority - three quarters - of tenants say they are satisfied with their rented home many tenants can face difficulties.
Today's package of measures outlined in The Private Rented Sector: Professionalism and Quality: consultation responses and next steps, following on from the Rugg Review published in 2008, will ensure tenants have the information and help they need to make informed decisions about the homes they rent, legal protection and certainty about their rights and extra support to help them deal with any disputes.
Mr Healey confirmed the Government's intention to bring in legislation to introduce the National Landlords Register and a tougher regulatory regime for managing letting agents to drive out the rogue elements that can sometimes tarnish the image of the sector and those who play by the rules.
The Minister also pledged to explore more ways of lending practical support to organisations who represent the interests of private sector tenants in the same way as for public housing.
The package includes:
• A new housing hotline offering free help and advice for private tenants
• a 'tripadvisor' style word-of-mouth website comparing landlords
• A requirement for written tenancy agreements in all tenancies that will strengthen the hand of tenants should they face a dispute
• Boosting the number of tenants protected under the most commonly used tenancy agreement
• A National Register for Landlords to help tenants make basic checks on their prospective landlords
• Better regulation of letting and managing agents, which will help tackle the rogue agents who can drag the reputation of the Private Rented Sector down.
Housing Minister John Healey said:
"Over three million families live in private rented housing and while the majority of tenants say they're happy with their homes and landlords many do face problems with their landlord and should have better help and protection on hand.
"Every tenant should be confident in their decision to rent as well as be clear what to expect before they sign on the dotted line. That's why I'm making information about the track record of landlords available to everyone and written tenancy agreements will mean all tenants are clear about their rights from the outset. Extending protections to more shared homes an estimated 150,000 more people on short term lets will also have tenancy rights for the first time. But if things do go wrong a new housing hotline will mean tenants have somewhere to turn for help and advice.
" Creating Local Letting Agencies, where councils and good landlords work together to help local people find better-quality homes in the private rented sector will help to side-line the cowboys across the country."
The Minister also wants to see the standards of the best spread more widely, and he's backing work underway with councils across England to encourage best practice in taking a more business-friendly approach to working with the best landlords and agents in their area. New Thinking for a Changing Population
News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 03 February 2010
Older people bring skills and experience to the workplace that can be an asset to business and their spending power can boost the wider economy.
This was at the heart of Business Minister Pat McFadden's message to industry and charities today, as he brought together experts from both sectors to discuss the economic challenges and opportunities of an ageing population.
He said:
"Older people are increasingly the backbone of our economy. We should be recognising this and looking for ways to meet their needs, and to make the most of what older workers can offer.
"As we continue to invest in growth, we need to make the most of all our talent: and that means harnessing the skills of the older generation as well as the young. This will put us in the strongest possible position going forward."
By 2050 over a third of Europe's population is expected to be over sixty years old. This means that there will be different pressures on services than there are today, but it also means a population with different needs and skills.
If businesses can adapt to the needs of this older group, then the rewards could be significant.
George Magnus, Senior Economic Adviser at UBS, said:
"The UK needs to re-boot its ideas about how it adapts to ageing. No one is suggesting people should be compelled to work in their seventies, but many do want to do just that and this could have many advantages - not least in their own financial and psychological well-being.
"We all need to think more flexibly, with a new approach to jobs, occupations and compensation structures for people over fifty that takes account of changing needs and priorities. Whist Government is inevitably part of this, there should be a wide ranging and inclusive debate about how businesses and the public can play their part as well."
A key theme of the conference was the fact that a considerable proportion of older people want to carry on working and, far from seeing themselves as a vulnerable group, believe they have much to offer the modern workplace.
People from these groups are often also in a better position to advise on business ventures, as those over fifty are more likely to be self employed than younger people.
Equally this is the most significant group for entrepreneurs, with many registering and patenting inventions into their sixties and beyond.
However the conference also looked at the considerable consumer power of the over fifties, as over forty per cent of annual consumer spending is done by this group.
This leaves open an obvious market targeted at the needs and interests of older people in sectors as varied as healthcare, financial services and leisure. By anticipating demand businesses will be preparing themselves for the future and adapting to a changing population as the UK moves out of recession and continues to grow.
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