Overview

This bill mandates that public authorities in England and Wales include apprenticeship and skills training commitments in all public procurement contracts exceeding £1 million. It aims to boost apprenticeship opportunities and skills development within the workforce by linking them to government contracts.

Description

This legislation requires public authorities to incorporate apprenticeship and skills training provisions into contracts valued over £1 million. Key aspects include:

Apprenticeship Requirements:

Public authorities must consider government guidelines (e.g., "Promoting skills through public procurement 2009") when creating contracts. These guidelines must be reflected in the contracts and may stipulate a minimum percentage of higher or advanced apprentices employed by the contractor.

Advertisement of Vacancies:

Contractors are obligated to advertise all job vacancies in all relevant job centres, including neighbouring local authority areas. Advertisements must detail training opportunities.

Skills Training Provision:

All skills training offered must be part of a nationally accredited scheme.

Definitions:

The bill defines key terms such as "apprentice," "higher or advanced apprentice," "public authority," and "relevant contract."

Commencement and Extent:

The act will come into force 12 months after its passage and applies to England and Wales.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending increases but could indirectly lead to increased costs for public authorities if contractors' bids reflect the added costs of providing apprenticeships and skills training. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

This bill impacts several groups:

• Public Authorities: Will face additional administrative burdens in contract creation and oversight.
• Contractors bidding on public contracts: Will need to factor in the cost of providing apprenticeships and skills training, potentially impacting bids.
• Apprentices: Will benefit from increased apprenticeship opportunities in various sectors.
• Job Seekers: Will potentially have access to more job vacancies and associated training through enhanced advertising requirements.
• Training providers offering nationally accredited schemes: These providers may experience increased demand for their services.

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