Sir Julian Lewis: It seems quite radical to suggest, as the report does, devolving responsibility for post-16 technical education and training to local leaders and transferring responsibility for skills to the Department for Business and Trade. Will the right hon. Gentleman briefly expand on that, and explain how it relates to apprenticeships on the one hand and university education on the other?

[Liam Byrne (Chairman of the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee): This was an important area of debate when we were framing our recommendations. We felt that where mayoral areas could show ability – that might be a limited number – they might be much better able to understand the needs of business and to ensure that local technical colleges in particular provide the right kinds of skills and of qualifications. Sometimes we take too much of a central planning approach to the skills system, which means we are just not agile enough for the needs of employers today, and skills gaps therefore loom much too large.]