... as government ups skills pressure

摘要

The government is moving towards making training policies a factor in whether firms win public work.rnThe Office of Government Commerce, which sets Whitehall's procurement policy, published guidance on Friday on how departments can include training and apprenticeship criteria when awarding contracts without breaking EU competition law.rnA spokesperson for the skillsrndepartment, which co-authored the report, said interpreting the guidance would be up to individual departments. He said: "We're not being prescriptive about it. It depends on the type of contract."rnJohn Denham, the skills secretary, said it was vital to continue to invest in skills in tough times. He said: "We want to play a leading role by making greater use of the £175bn a year the government spends on constructionrnto promote training opportunities.