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Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

I thank the noble Baroness for reminding me. We anticipate that the RDAs will lead in identifying demand-side need for skills in their regions. This will be reflected in their regional skills strategy, which will be part of the single integrated regional strategy developed with—and I stress this—the local authority leader boards. We envisage that the RDAs will also take responsibility for skills advocacy—including championing and delivering initiatives to raise demand, such as the skills pledge—partnership building, and spearheading multi-agency action in support of employers to identify and resolve mismatches in the supply of skills to meet new employer demand. Responsibility for allocating funds to and managing the relationships with colleges and training providers will rest with the chief executive of skills funding. In doing that, he or she will take into account the national, regional and sub-regional strategies of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, the RDAs and the sub-regional and city partnerships.