If Britain is to compete effectively in Europe we must improve the skills of our workforce. There is a good deal of evidence that Britain lags behind its European competitors in this crucial area. A recent report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research concluded that: (a) compared with France, Germany and Japan, Britain has the highest proportion of low achievers; (b) the proportion of 16-19 year olds in full or part-time education and training is lowest in Britain; and (c) the labour force in Britain is under-qualified by comparison with competitor countries. In particular 37 of our workers over the age of 25 have no qualifications at all.
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