Search: Frontline training cuts
The Government has insisted that it is determined to protect frontline services for training young people after leaked documents suggested hundreds of thousands of places could be slashed.
The Observer said that it had obtained confidential papers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which show that £252 million is to be cut from key training programmes.
The paper said that the department's own methodology suggests that 335,000 places will have to be axed as a result.
The 19-plus age group hoping to join courses at FE colleges, independent training companies, or become apprentices will be the hardest hit, it said.
The paper, marked "Protected - Funding Policy", was sent to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Skills Minister Kevin Brennan.
It sets out the preferred options for finding the £350 million cuts from the the £4 billion skills budget announced by Chancellor Alistair Darling at the time of the budget.
The paper said that while £100 million would come from savings in quangos and administration, the rest would fall on programmes such as Train to Gain, Adult Apprentices, and Skills for Life.
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On Saturday, a Department for Business spokesman said: "It remains our commitment to protect frontline services and identify savings through efficiency measures and improving value for money wherever possible.
"The skills sector has received record investment in recent years and we will shortly be publishing the skills strategy setting out our long-term plans for investment in skills to contribute to the future growth and success of the UK economy."
