Labour scheme for training

Labour will this week unveil plans for an "individual learning account" that would allow people to retrain throughout their working lives, writes Paul Routledge. The initiative would encourage employers and training and enterprise councils to match savings made by employees. The proposal is part of a new economic strategy to be launched tomorrow by Shadow chancellor Gordon Brown, with a central theme of combatting insecurity at work. The plan is expected to offer tax incentives for employees who take part. One idea is for an extended version of the Open University, using satellite or educational television channels to bring education to a wider audience.

Labour's economic strategy envisages pounds 1bn from a windfall tax on the privatised utilities going to combat youth unemployment, while another estimated pounds 2bn would be available from this source for other programmes. But the "individual learning accounts" would not attract direct government spending.