Following a review of public bodies undertaken by the Cabinet Office, the Government has announced that CITB-ConstructionSkills is to be retained in the public sector, continuing to report to Ministers at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The announcement also paved the way for reforming the organisation to ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose into the future.

The decision came after months of speculation about the future of the Industry Training Board and the Levy system after leaks about the wider Public Bodies Review were published in the Daily Telegraph.

A BIS spokesperson said: "Government has agreed that the Industry Training Boards for Construction, Engineering Construction and Film will be retained as Non-Departmental Public Bodies. The ITBs are owned and directed by the employers in their industry and act independently of Government. The central purpose of the ITBs is to meet the skill needs of their industries through consensus support for a statutory levy."

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Speaking after the announcement, James Wates, Chairman of CITB-ConstructionSkills said: "We understand that in these tough times, Government has a duty to ensure it delivers best value for money – so we welcome the news that CITB-ConstructionSkills is to be retained under the Public Bodies Act.

"We view the decision as a positive endorsement of the Levy and the work that we do to add value to our employers by ensuring industry has the right skills in place, to improve standards and contribute towards economic growth."

Introduced in the 1960s, CITB-ConstructionSkills and the Levy system is tasked with ensuring that the industry invests in skills - attracting and training new entrants and equipping its existing workforce with the skills needed to ensure construction projects are completed safely, on time, to cost and to the highest standards.

(CD/KMcA)