Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage has this morning welcomed the publication of the long-awaited Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee report on adult literacy and numeracy.
Caroline is one of eleven members of the Committee which looks into Government policy and makes recommendations about how it could be improved. She led a debate in Parliament on the issueof literacy and numeracy problems amongst the adult population last year and campaigned passionately for the Committee to investigate the matter further.
The report reveals that there is still an alarmingly high proportion of adults with low literacy and numeracy skills and that previous Government interventions have not been effective. A number of recommendations are outlined in the report, such as reassessing the funding provision for literacy and numeracy courses and moving away from the traditional approach to qualification attainment. The Committee also calls on Government departments to implement a joined-up plan to address the problem.
Caroline commented:
"The scale of adult literacy and numeracy problems in the UK is a huge cause for concern. With a large proportion of the adult population unable to reach their full potential because of weak basic skillsets; it is not just affecting individuals, it is impacting upon Britain's economy as a whole.
That is why it was so important that the BIS Select Committee looked into the matter, taking evidence from organisations and stakeholders with experience in the adult skills sector. I was delighted that Gosport-based charity 'We Can Read' and St. Vincent College were asked to provide their invaluable insights during the oral evidence sessions.
I hope that the publication of this report will shed light on the issue and encourage the Government to do more to tackle this longstanding problem."
For the first time, the BIS Select Committee has produced a video to accompany the report which features Caroline and the Committee Chair, Adrian Bailey MP, setting out the recommendations. You can watch the video online here: http://youtu.be/eC33GxFBCYc.
The full report is available on the BIS Select Committee website: http://bit.ly/1k8di4s.