Right to train?

John Hayes, Minister for FE, Skills and Lifelong Learning has launched a consultation on the future of the right for employees to request time to train; legislation which was introduced under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act (2010) passed by the previous Government.

The legislation came into effect in April 2010 for businesses with over 250 employees and was planned to be extended to all businesses by April 2011.

John Hayes said: "We believe it is important that all regulations are properly scrutinised and we are therefore interested in hearing views on the future of this right and its role in promoting training in the workplace, which I see as vital to our economic success".

Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress, Brendan Barber, commented: "we are concerned that this latest consultation will simply weakened the right as a favour to business organisations who consider support to train staff as nothing more than burdensome red tape".

The deadline for responses to the consultation is the 15th September. 

Read consultation documents