Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the employer representative body for Central Bedfordshire has been constituted; who the proposed members of that body are; whether that body has met; and what its objectives are.

There are not currently any designated employer representative bodies for local areas in England. Subject to the Royal Assent of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, the department intends to launch an open and competitive ‘expressions of interest’ process shortly for eligible employer representative bodies in all areas of England who are interested in being designated to lead the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans. Further details will be announced in due course.