Public and Commercial Services Union

Below is the letter sent by LSC group president, Ruth Serwotka, to Lord Mandelson

 

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Rt Hon Lord Peter Mandelson

Secretary of State for Business

Innovation and Skills

1 Victoria Street

London SW1H 0ET

 

 

 

 

3 August 2009

 

 

 

Dear Secretary of State

 

PCS, the sole union recognised to represent LSC staff, understands that Ministers have agreed to further break up the UK skills infrastructure by transferring elements of skills strategy to the Regional Development Agencies and for RDA's to commence a role in skills. This will involve changes to the previously understood skills landscape that have been the subject of parliamentary consultation and detailed in the ASCL Bill which forsees this work being delivered by the new Skills Funding Agency.

 

Furthermore it appears to be in contradiction to your stated position to the Skills Select Committee where in response to a question from the Chairman about any proposed changes to the structure of the SFA you stated that:

"No, there will not be a serious structural change to the Government's current proposals, but I think that there is an interface and an overlap between the proposed Skills Funding Agency and RDAs, and we are looking at it."

Whilst PCS does not have access to detailed information we are opposed to a transfer of staff from the LSC to RDA's in principle on the following basis:

Our members in the LSC have faced two years of uncertainty and this will bring even more pressure on them at a critical stage in the transition to new structures. We believe that this late change in agreed arrangements will drive down morale amongst the staff required to deliver world class services to employers and learners.
Transferring some elements of the proposed SFA's work to a further nine Non Departmental Public Bodies complicates the skills infrastructure, reduces the scope of influence of the SFA making it a weaker rather than stronger player in skills delivery and raises important issues about its long term future, before it has even come into existence.
There will be little or no meaningful public consultation on the matter increasing the risk of unintended consequences because of ill thought out and rushed policy. Pushing this measure through will further raise legitimate questions of accountability around the skills agenda.
BIS and DCSF have entered agreements with PCS that staff would be transferred to agreed arrangements around agreed sets of terms and conditions. Permitted transferees are detailed in the ASCL Bill and at no point in the Bill are RDA's mentioned. To disregard important agreements with us could be construed as a breach of trust.
The future of the RDA's is less than certain. To throw important elements of skills delivery, staff expertise, strategy and planning into their direction at this stage will increase the likelihood of further restructuring of a wholly fragmented system under a future government.
In order to further outline our concerns before further decisions are made, we are seeking an urgent meeting with you.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

RUTH SERWOTKA