Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

I am grateful to the Minister for attempting to clarify these issues, but I am still increasingly sceptical. Let me quote again from the letter, which says very firmly that the RDAs will be: ""the single body with responsibility for producing the regional skills strategy"." And subsequently it goes on to say: ""Under this scenario, RDAs would be assigned the lead role in identifying as part of their wider responsibilities for regional economic development, demand-side needs for skills in their regions. These needs will be expressed in a regional skills strategy, led by the RDA, which will constitute an investment plan which would become binding on the Skills Funding Agency"." That is new and it is not in the Bill. There are many questions for us to ponder on this, but in the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 198 withdrawn. Clause 88 agreed.