Training investment soars

Last year, total Construction Industry Training Board income rose by more than a fifth from £152m to £185m. This included a 14% rise in levy income from £93m to £106m.
Managing agency funding for new entrant training also rose by a third from £30m to £40m.
Current forecasts are for levy income to rise to around £120m in the next few years, pushing total income well over the
£200m mark.
In addition, last year there was a huge rise of 58% in income from certification and registration procedures. Here the total income was up from £12.5m to £19.7m.
Total expenditure last year rose by 20% to £189m. This included a 46% increase in ordinary training grants, plus a 20% increase in grants for new
entrant training.
The training board's annual report for 2003 attributes the soaring income figures to a combination of increased workload plus higher earnings reflected in both the PAYE and the labour-only subcontracting levies.
It is reported that 2003 also saw a further 4% swing to PAYE.