LibDems demand tax relief for IT training
The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to give tax relief to individuals who pay for their own e-skills training following the collapse of the Individual Learning Accounts.
Link: Doubts surface over ILA replacement
It is part of a drive to persuade ministers to increase the cash available for computer and IT vocational training.
Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Baroness Sharpe believes the extra spending is necessary as the hi-tech industry now has 200,000 vacancies.
She will highlight the issue next Tuesday (22 October) in a Lords Question asking ‘whether the numbers currently being trained in information technology systems support in the United Kingdom are adequate’.
The LibDem education spokeswoman said that the fiasco over the scrapping of the government’s Individual Learning Accounts – frequently abused by organisations delivering IT training – meant there was no proper support for those seeking NVQ Level Three qualifications.
Baroness Sharpe said: ‘What we want to do is probe the government’s position: that if there is a shortage it is up to the industry to train more people themselves.’
‘People who fund themselves are having to pay fees of £3,000 or so for Level Three. Those who do fund themselves ought to get tax relief.’
