During the Treasury’s consultation with industry in 2014 we received a wide range of cost estimates for the transition to the new £1 coin varying by individual business need, mostly attributed to the need to upgrade coin handling equipment. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the total cost to industry.

We have, however, taken a number of steps to help manage these costs. For instance, the early announcement of the new coin has provided businesses with a long lead time allowing for effective and extensive planning ahead of the changeover. Individual businesses and the wider economy will also benefit from the reduced costs associated with a fall in the counterfeit rate, as well as from a currency in which there is widespread confidence.

These questions ask about progress in implementation of some actions from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of this Government’s industrial strategy. This strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, addressing the industry’s agenda for long term growth. The Professional and Business Services Council has oversight of the development and now the implementation of the strategy.

A business-led Skills Taskforce for professional and business services is providing leadership on the sector’s key priorities in skills development. It will report shortly on progress.

The strategy aims to expand recruitment routes into the professional and business services sector, in particular through higher apprenticeships. There is a target to increase higher apprenticeship starts across the sector to 10,000 per annum by 2018. The Skills Taskforce is encouraging the development of new, employer-led apprenticeship standards in professional and business services. Standards are being developed for ten major occupations across the sector. These standards will help the sector move towards the 2018 target.

The latest published annual figures show that there were around 4,500 higher level apprenticeship starts in occupations across the professional and business services sector in England in the 2013-14 academic year compared to zero in 2009/10. New apprenticeship entry routes are intended as a means for the professional and business services sector to access a wider, more diverse recruitment pool in the years to come. The Skills Taskforce has supported the London Professional Apprenticeship, an innovative regional scheme to open up apprenticeships in these occupations to a wider set of young people in London, and also Access to Accountancy, which aims to increase opportunities in the profession to young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Half of those starting higher apprenticeships in professional and business services during the 2013-14 academic year were aged 25 or over. Leading businesses in the sector report that recruiting apprentices has indeed enabled them to access a more diverse talent pool from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds.

The sector strategy also aims to help professional and business services firms interact with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. The Skills Taskforce has been mapping current activity of this kind to identify good practice. Professional and Business Services Council member firms engaged with schools in 32 of the 39 English Local Enterprise Partnerships during 2014.

The Professional and Business Services Council now has a rolling programme of regional outreach to business communities to communicate about the sector strategy and its implementation. During the last year, the Department has participated in six events around the country to help build this engagement. An additional workshop specifically for small firms was held in London and UK Trade & Investment delivered a seminar to help professional and business services exporters as part of the Liverpool International Festival of Business. Further regional outreach events are being planned.

The Professional and Business Services Council has been developing its views on the regulation of the sector, the associated role of adherence to high professional standards, and where there may be barriers to new business models. It is pursuing consultation with the wider sector on these issues.

These questions ask about progress in implementation of some actions from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of this Government’s industrial strategy. This strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, addressing the industry’s agenda for long term growth. The Professional and Business Services Council has oversight of the development and now the implementation of the strategy.

A business-led Skills Taskforce for professional and business services is providing leadership on the sector’s key priorities in skills development. It will report shortly on progress.

The strategy aims to expand recruitment routes into the professional and business services sector, in particular through higher apprenticeships. There is a target to increase higher apprenticeship starts across the sector to 10,000 per annum by 2018. The Skills Taskforce is encouraging the development of new, employer-led apprenticeship standards in professional and business services. Standards are being developed for ten major occupations across the sector. These standards will help the sector move towards the 2018 target.

The latest published annual figures show that there were around 4,500 higher level apprenticeship starts in occupations across the professional and business services sector in England in the 2013-14 academic year compared to zero in 2009/10. New apprenticeship entry routes are intended as a means for the professional and business services sector to access a wider, more diverse recruitment pool in the years to come. The Skills Taskforce has supported the London Professional Apprenticeship, an innovative regional scheme to open up apprenticeships in these occupations to a wider set of young people in London, and also Access to Accountancy, which aims to increase opportunities in the profession to young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Half of those starting higher apprenticeships in professional and business services during the 2013-14 academic year were aged 25 or over. Leading businesses in the sector report that recruiting apprentices has indeed enabled them to access a more diverse talent pool from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds.

The sector strategy also aims to help professional and business services firms interact with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. The Skills Taskforce has been mapping current activity of this kind to identify good practice. Professional and Business Services Council member firms engaged with schools in 32 of the 39 English Local Enterprise Partnerships during 2014.

The Professional and Business Services Council now has a rolling programme of regional outreach to business communities to communicate about the sector strategy and its implementation. During the last year, the Department has participated in six events around the country to help build this engagement. An additional workshop specifically for small firms was held in London and UK Trade & Investment delivered a seminar to help professional and business services exporters as part of the Liverpool International Festival of Business. Further regional outreach events are being planned.

The Professional and Business Services Council has been developing its views on the regulation of the sector, the associated role of adherence to high professional standards, and where there may be barriers to new business models. It is pursuing consultation with the wider sector on these issues.

These questions ask about progress in implementation of some actions from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of this Government’s industrial strategy. This strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, addressing the industry’s agenda for long term growth. The Professional and Business Services Council has oversight of the development and now the implementation of the strategy.

A business-led Skills Taskforce for professional and business services is providing leadership on the sector’s key priorities in skills development. It will report shortly on progress.

The strategy aims to expand recruitment routes into the professional and business services sector, in particular through higher apprenticeships. There is a target to increase higher apprenticeship starts across the sector to 10,000 per annum by 2018. The Skills Taskforce is encouraging the development of new, employer-led apprenticeship standards in professional and business services. Standards are being developed for ten major occupations across the sector. These standards will help the sector move towards the 2018 target.

The latest published annual figures show that there were around 4,500 higher level apprenticeship starts in occupations across the professional and business services sector in England in the 2013-14 academic year compared to zero in 2009/10. New apprenticeship entry routes are intended as a means for the professional and business services sector to access a wider, more diverse recruitment pool in the years to come. The Skills Taskforce has supported the London Professional Apprenticeship, an innovative regional scheme to open up apprenticeships in these occupations to a wider set of young people in London, and also Access to Accountancy, which aims to increase opportunities in the profession to young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Half of those starting higher apprenticeships in professional and business services during the 2013-14 academic year were aged 25 or over. Leading businesses in the sector report that recruiting apprentices has indeed enabled them to access a more diverse talent pool from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds.

The sector strategy also aims to help professional and business services firms interact with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. The Skills Taskforce has been mapping current activity of this kind to identify good practice. Professional and Business Services Council member firms engaged with schools in 32 of the 39 English Local Enterprise Partnerships during 2014.

The Professional and Business Services Council now has a rolling programme of regional outreach to business communities to communicate about the sector strategy and its implementation. During the last year, the Department has participated in six events around the country to help build this engagement. An additional workshop specifically for small firms was held in London and UK Trade & Investment delivered a seminar to help professional and business services exporters as part of the Liverpool International Festival of Business. Further regional outreach events are being planned.

The Professional and Business Services Council has been developing its views on the regulation of the sector, the associated role of adherence to high professional standards, and where there may be barriers to new business models. It is pursuing consultation with the wider sector on these issues.

These questions ask about progress in implementation of some actions from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of this Government’s industrial strategy. This strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, addressing the industry’s agenda for long term growth. The Professional and Business Services Council has oversight of the development and now the implementation of the strategy.

A business-led Skills Taskforce for professional and business services is providing leadership on the sector’s key priorities in skills development. It will report shortly on progress.

The strategy aims to expand recruitment routes into the professional and business services sector, in particular through higher apprenticeships. There is a target to increase higher apprenticeship starts across the sector to 10,000 per annum by 2018. The Skills Taskforce is encouraging the development of new, employer-led apprenticeship standards in professional and business services. Standards are being developed for ten major occupations across the sector. These standards will help the sector move towards the 2018 target.

The latest published annual figures show that there were around 4,500 higher level apprenticeship starts in occupations across the professional and business services sector in England in the 2013-14 academic year compared to zero in 2009/10. New apprenticeship entry routes are intended as a means for the professional and business services sector to access a wider, more diverse recruitment pool in the years to come. The Skills Taskforce has supported the London Professional Apprenticeship, an innovative regional scheme to open up apprenticeships in these occupations to a wider set of young people in London, and also Access to Accountancy, which aims to increase opportunities in the profession to young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Half of those starting higher apprenticeships in professional and business services during the 2013-14 academic year were aged 25 or over. Leading businesses in the sector report that recruiting apprentices has indeed enabled them to access a more diverse talent pool from a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds.

The sector strategy also aims to help professional and business services firms interact with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. The Skills Taskforce has been mapping current activity of this kind to identify good practice. Professional and Business Services Council member firms engaged with schools in 32 of the 39 English Local Enterprise Partnerships during 2014.

The Professional and Business Services Council now has a rolling programme of regional outreach to business communities to communicate about the sector strategy and its implementation. During the last year, the Department has participated in six events around the country to help build this engagement. An additional workshop specifically for small firms was held in London and UK Trade & Investment delivered a seminar to help professional and business services exporters as part of the Liverpool International Festival of Business. Further regional outreach events are being planned.

The Professional and Business Services Council has been developing its views on the regulation of the sector, the associated role of adherence to high professional standards, and where there may be barriers to new business models. It is pursuing consultation with the wider sector on these issues.

Legislation was introduced in this year’s Finance Act to tackle the growing problem of agency workers being falsely classed as self-employed by the use of intermediary companies. HM Revenue & Customs undertakes risk-based investigations of businesses believed to be avoiding the payment of National Insurance and income tax by classifying their workers falsely as self-employed.

These questions ask about a number of actions related to skills development from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of Government’s industrial strategy. The strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, focusing on the industry’s agenda for long term growth. It is led by the Professional and Business Services Council.

The strategy reflects two key business priorities in skills development. First, to expand recruitment routes into the sector, in particular higher apprenticeships, to access a wider, more diverse talent pool. Second, to help businesses engage with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. A business-led skills taskforce for professional and business services has been established. It is developing approaches to implement the strategy and will report progress at the end of this year.

The skills taskforce is leading work to help towards the strategy’s ambitious target to treble the number of higher apprenticeship starts across professional and business services to 10,000 over five years; and to follow progress in the interim, so that the numbers of these apprenticeships can be monitored. As a first step, the taskforce is supporting the London Professional Apprenticeship scheme, which was launched in December 2013, and is now recruiting apprentices and employers to take part. The scheme will pilot the proposal for a “clearing house” to help small firms access higher apprenticeships in professional and business services. In addition, the taskforce is backing new ‘trailblazer’ initiatives, announced in March 2014, to develop employer-driven standards for apprenticeships in several professional and business services occupations.

The skills taskforce is currently researching the metrics for schools’ reporting and their effect on the prestige of higher apprenticeships as initial career destinations. It will consider if more could be done to ensure higher apprenticeships have parity of esteem with higher education.

The taskforce is also mapping current school engagement activity involving professional and business services firms with a view to identifying and sharing good practice.

The new emphasis on wider use of higher apprenticeships across professional and business services should contribute towards a greater diversity of routes into these careers in the years to come; potentially offering opportunities to a wider pool of talent.

The skills taskforce intends to consider how the employability of young people can be supported within the national curriculum, but believes that greater engagement between employers and young people is the best way of improving employability skills.

My noble Friend Lord Lingfield has set up the independent Institution for Further Education to take forward work on a new chartered status quality scheme and is considering the application and assessment process for Further Education providers.

The skills taskforce is exploring how web-based services can support engagement between firms and the education sector, including a planned digital “inspiration” tool being developed by this Department to encourage business-schools engagement.

Further information on the implementation of “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services” is included in a progress report on industrial strategy, published on 23 April 2014:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-early-successes-and-future-priorities

These questions ask about a number of actions related to skills development from “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services”, published in July 2013 as part of Government’s industrial strategy. The strategy was developed in collaboration with the professional and business services sector, focusing on the industry’s agenda for long term growth. It is led by the Professional and Business Services Council.

The strategy reflects two key business priorities in skills development. First, to expand recruitment routes into the sector, in particular higher apprenticeships, to access a wider, more diverse talent pool. Second, to help businesses engage with the education system to raise aspirations and promote work readiness. A business-led skills taskforce for professional and business services has been established. It is developing approaches to implement the strategy and will report progress at the end of this year.

The skills taskforce is leading work to help towards the strategy’s ambitious target to treble the number of higher apprenticeship starts across professional and business services to 10,000 over five years; and to follow progress in the interim, so that the numbers of these apprenticeships can be monitored. As a first step, the taskforce is supporting the London Professional Apprenticeship scheme, which was launched in December 2013, and is now recruiting apprentices and employers to take part. The scheme will pilot the proposal for a “clearing house” to help small firms access higher apprenticeships in professional and business services. In addition, the taskforce is backing new ‘trailblazer’ initiatives, announced in March 2014, to develop employer-driven standards for apprenticeships in several professional and business services occupations.

The skills taskforce is currently researching the metrics for schools’ reporting and their effect on the prestige of higher apprenticeships as initial career destinations. It will consider if more could be done to ensure higher apprenticeships have parity of esteem with higher education.

The taskforce is also mapping current school engagement activity involving professional and business services firms with a view to identifying and sharing good practice.

The new emphasis on wider use of higher apprenticeships across professional and business services should contribute towards a greater diversity of routes into these careers in the years to come; potentially offering opportunities to a wider pool of talent.

The skills taskforce intends to consider how the employability of young people can be supported within the national curriculum, but believes that greater engagement between employers and young people is the best way of improving employability skills.

My noble Friend Lord Lingfield has set up the independent Institution for Further Education to take forward work on a new chartered status quality scheme and is considering the application and assessment process for Further Education providers.

The skills taskforce is exploring how web-based services can support engagement between firms and the education sector, including a planned digital “inspiration” tool being developed by this Department to encourage business-schools engagement.

Further information on the implementation of “Growth is our business: a strategy for professional and business services” is included in a progress report on industrial strategy, published on 23 April 2014:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-strategy-early-successes-and-future-priorities