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Cabinet to stress training plans Brown launches 'recovery' website
(about 4 hours later)
The cabinet is meeting in Southampton as the government comes under pressure to do more to boost jobs. The government is promoting its efforts to help the British economy through the recession with its own version of US President Obama's "recovery" website.
Ministers are highlighting 21,000 new apprenticeships in hospitals, schools and local government at the start of National Apprenticeships Week. Gordon Brown referred to the "real help now" website - listing action being taken around Britain - as the cabinet met in Southampton.
Firms competing for contracts to rebuild schools will also be required to provide formal training programmes. He also announced 21,000 public sector apprenticeships were being created.
The Tories say the government's target to have 130,000 apprenticeships a year completed by 2011, will be missed. Earlier van maker LDV asked ministers for loans to secure its future and protect thousands of jobs.
Ministers are holding their fourth cabinet meeting outside London and are expected to tour Southampton to highlight government policies aimed at boosting job numbers. And the government has announced that Northern Rock is to revive its mortgage business with up to £14bn in new loans by 2011.
Apprenticeships 'transformed' 'Proper interaction'
They include the creation of 21,000 extra apprenticeships from April, including 5,000 NHS places, 7,500 in local government and 4,500 in schools and children's services. US President Barack Obama has launched his "recovery" website as part of his economic plan, which he says aims to show the American people where their money is going.
The government has previously been criticised over the number of apprenticeship places in the public sector - which employs 20% of the national workforce but offers fewer than on in ten apprenticeships. Mr Brown mentioned the UK's "real help now" website as he addressed an audience in Southampton as the cabinet met outside London for the fourth time - following visits to Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham.
The tour comes as MPs prepare to debate the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learners Bill - which would entitle every qualified young person to an apprenticeship. The prime minister said the purpose of the visit was to get a "proper interaction" and hear people's views outside London.
The government is way off its target for increasing apprenticeships David WillettsShadow skills secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7904820.stm">Apprentices target 'to be missed' class="" href="/1/hi/business/7904918.stm">Van firm LDV seeks government aid He told the audience: "We are facing something quite extraordinary, a global banking crisis, the banks of the world for the first time have seized up and we have got to unblock that.
And van maker LDV has asked the government for millions of pounds in loans to tide it over as it seeks a management buy-out - warning that 900 jobs could be lost directly and thousands more among suppliers if its plans fail. Britain always works best when Britain works together Gordon Brown
Skills Secretary John Denham said apprenticeships had been "transformed" in the past ten years - from 65,000 in 1997 to a quarter of a million this coming year. "We have got to make sure that credit can flow to businesses, that mortgages are available for families and that people who depend on banks for their savings and security can once again feel they can trust the banks in this country and of course trust the banks in every country of the world."
He said the government was committed to "leading by example, encouraging businesses to take on apprentices and help ensure we have the highly skilled workforce the UK needs to stay competitive through the downturn and when the upturn comes". He said international action was needed but the government was also trying to provide help in Britain, for example by boosting mortgage help and the construction industry and help for those who have lost their jobs.
The cabinet had discussed moving to a "low carbon" economy to meet climate change targets and create new jobs, he said.
"Britain always works best when Britain works together and I believe that through this downturn we have got to show that we can work together," he said adding the website "spelt out" in one place all the government help available.
It also includes Mr Brown's explanation of how the current crisis had occurred - likening an economy without a functioning banking system to a house without electricity.
Apprenticeships
Last week the director general of business organisation, the CBI, Richard Lambert, said President Obama's website was an "excellent template" and called for a UK version to be created to "give the public and businesses a much clearer idea of what is being done".
No 10 confirmed the site's launch, saying the idea behind it was to enable people to find details of all the support it was giving workers, employers and homeowners "in one place".
At the cabinet meeting and subsequent visits in the Southampton area ministers highlighted 21,000 new apprenticeships from April in hospitals, schools and local government at the start of National Apprenticeships Week.
They include 5,000 NHS places, 7,500 in local government and 4,500 in schools and children's services.
But the Conservatives predict the government will miss its target of 130,000 apprenticeships being completed every year by 2010-11.But the Conservatives predict the government will miss its target of 130,000 apprenticeships being completed every year by 2010-11.
They say official figures show 112,600 apprenticeships were completed in 2007-08, up from 111,800 in 2006-08.They say official figures show 112,600 apprenticeships were completed in 2007-08, up from 111,800 in 2006-08.
If the number keeps increasing by 800 a year, the target would be reached in 2029-30.If the number keeps increasing by 800 a year, the target would be reached in 2029-30.
Shadow skills secretary David Willetts said figures also suggest apprenticeships started by 16 to 24-year-olds fell between 2007 and 2008 and said a "huge gap" between ministers' promises and their actual achievements remained. The government is way off its target for increasing apprenticeships David WillettsShadow skills secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7904820.stm">Apprentices target 'to be missed' class="" href="/1/hi/business/7904918.stm">Van firm LDV seeks government aid
Mr Willetts said: "The government is way off its target for increasing apprenticeships. Shadow skills secretary David Willetts said: "The government is way off its target for increasing apprenticeships.
"The number of under-25s starting apprenticeships is falling, and there's a particularly shocking fall in apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds."The number of under-25s starting apprenticeships is falling, and there's a particularly shocking fall in apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds.
"Once again, Gordon Brown is letting down young people and failing to deliver the skills we need to emerge from the recession.""Once again, Gordon Brown is letting down young people and failing to deliver the skills we need to emerge from the recession."
Mr Denham said he was wrong and the target would be met by 2010-11. Skills Secretary John Denham said he was wrong and the target would be met by 2010-11.
And the government says, in addition to the 21,000 new apprenticeship places from April, all construction companies winning contracts for the Building Schools for the Future scheme will have to provide formal training programmes.And the government says, in addition to the 21,000 new apprenticeship places from April, all construction companies winning contracts for the Building Schools for the Future scheme will have to provide formal training programmes.
That will create up to 1,000 extra apprenticeships from June, including posts in construction, information technology and facilities management and a further 1,000 in the Ministry of Defence, the government says. That will create up to 1,000 extra apprenticeships from June, including posts in construction, information technology and facilities management and a further 1,000 in the Ministry of Defence.
Sir Alan Sugar has been enlisted to front a television campaign to promote apprenticeships and will join ministers to host the first of a series of seminars with employers and young people.Sir Alan Sugar has been enlisted to front a television campaign to promote apprenticeships and will join ministers to host the first of a series of seminars with employers and young people.
Gordon Brown has said he wants to see one in five young people on apprenticeships by 2018, as part of a drive to win the global "skills race". Gordon Brown has said he wants to see one in five young people in apprenticeships by 2018, as part of a drive to win the global "skills race".
The Conservatives have accused him of announcing new apprenticeships "every few months" but say those of A-Level standard "linked to a real employer" have fallen.The Conservatives have accused him of announcing new apprenticeships "every few months" but say those of A-Level standard "linked to a real employer" have fallen.