What steps it is taking to ensure that the average annual requirement of 4,600 construction industry staff identified in the Construction I…

The Scottish Executive was well aware of the issues relating to employment within the construction industry before the publication of the Construction Industry Training Board's report in February 2002. In January 2001, we commissioned research to establish where construction skills gaps existed and what might be done to address them. In response to the research findings published earlier this year, the Scottish Welfare to Work Task Force established a construction sub-group to develop an appropriate construction industry training course for New Deal clients in Scotland. Working with employers, the sub-group focuses on establishing local partnerships to enable the disadvantaged and long-term unemployed to move into suitable construction jobs. In addition, Future Skills Scotland and Careers Scotland have agreed to identify opportunities for careers and training in areas where skills are in demand. We are working with Careers Scotland and the Construction Industry Training Board to promote awareness of opportunities in the construction industry, in line with the promotion of the Modern Apprenticeships programme. Almost 5,000 Modern Apprentices are now in construction-related training.