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Education: Adult Learners

My Lords, I am glad to follow, and support, the noble Lord, Lord Rix. It is the case that the great British training industry is quite some beast. It seems that it has never really hit the bull’s-eye, despite billions of pounds of investment and frequent legislation for reform, repositioning and reorganisation. The best trainers for skills that I have seen in a long parliamentary life have been BAE and Airbus. They have collaborated positively with successive administrations over many decades. They employ tens of thousands of skilled and semi-skilled men and, increasingly, women. They are successful. My hope is that these leaders in world aerospace and other large British manufacturing companies will be able to assist further, and in greater numbers, in the training of adults. It is clear that the Further Education and Training Bill seeks to provide a second chance. What is needed for adults is a second chance to obtain the skills and qualifications that they need to obtain, and remain in, meaningful, well paid jobs of status, with pensions and holidays and the protection of health and safety measures. The Government might legislate but will the employers deliver? I think so. I believe that the FE colleges and institutes of higher education will deliver. Their track record is good. But will local government deliver? I hope so.