CIPD criticises government departments merger as unhelpful to skills agenda
08 June 2009
The government departments responsible for skills and business are to merge, just two years after they were created.
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) are to come together once more to form the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to be headed by Lord Mandelson.
The move, coming alongside Gordon Brown’s ministerial reshuffle, will raise eyebrows as the two departments were formed only in June 2007 after the splitting up of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Despite there being no mention of universities or colleges in the title, the new department will assume responsibility for higher and further education. A government statement said its remit would include "maintaining world-class universities, expanding access to higher education, investing in the UK's science base and shaping skills policy and innovation".
"It also puts the UK's further-education system and universities closer to the heart of government thinking about building now for the upturn," the statement said.
But the CIPD expressed some doubts at the move. John Philpott, CIPD public policy director, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with Lord Mandelson and his team on the crucial skills challenges that will shape the UK’s ability to thrive well beyond this current downturn.
"However, although there are definite merits in aligning the skills agenda even more closely with the business agenda, we despair at yet another change in the government’s departmental structures for skills. Now is surely not the time to be embarking on yet another reorganisation of the civil service teams responsible for supporting businesses and individuals in boosting skills.
“The biggest challenge in raising skills and boosting UK productivity is ensuring leadership and management skills are up to scratch. The constant reorganisation of ministers, departments and agencies responsible for delivering the skills agenda itself is not setting a great example in this regard.”
Lord Young, the new minister for employment relations and postal affairs, said: "There is a logic in aligning skills with business. Does it help to reorganise continually? No, but what if what we have got isn't functioning well, then we are bound to address the situation."
The ministerial reshuffle also saw DIUS secretary of state John Denham leave the skills arena to become communities secretary, while Yvette Cooper has become work and pensions secretary following James Purnell’s resignation.