Government pulls all Learndirect contracts and funding

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/15/government-pulls-all-learndirect-contracts-and-funding?subid=19389892&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

Learndirect, which was privatised by David Cameron’s coalition government in 2011 and is majority-owned by the private equity arm of Lloyds Bank

An FT/FE Week investigation this week found that in the four years since it was sold off, it parent company spent 84% of its income, most of which came from the taxpayer, on payments to managers and financiers.

learndirect opposed publication of the report

"which gave the provider the lowest possible rating"

because it would

"create a risk of “irreparable damage including financial consequences”."

The shape of things to come for Hunt the Hated's sell off of the NHS's taxpayer money saving Staffing arm.

https://www.ft.com/content/5bc8444a-5979-11e7-9bc8-8055f264aa8b

But even blatant mismanagement doesn't stop the Tories feeding their mates - this time at a cost to businesses rather than just the taxpayer.

Learndirect owners still winning government-approved contracts

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/16/learndirect-owners-still-winning-government-approved-contracts

"The owners of Learndirect are continuing to win government-approved apprenticeship contracts despite their original company failing to meet the government’s minimum standards."

"Learndirect Apprenticeships Ltd was created in September 2016, and its training is funded by a levy on companies rather than directly by the government."

"The DfE said on Tuesday that it would withdraw all funding from Learndirect, which is responsible for almost 73,000 trainees, by July 2018." !!!!

How about getting ALL the money paid back and funding some quality training with it?

and despite all that ....

(Learndirect)has been handed around £45 million from next years’ adult education budget even though it didn’t participate in the tender process and despite its now-infamous grade four from Ofsted.

http://feweek.co.uk/2017/09/05/learndirect-special-treatment-esfa-changes-policy-and-awards-45m-tender/

https://www.ft.com/content/1bd032ea-92f3-11e7-bdfa-eda243196c2c

But at least the sell off of the NHS staffing arm (for an undervalued song to the private sector to make profits on at the NHS's expense) which saves the tax payer £70M has been put on hold

Government backtracks on plan to sell-off NHS staffing agency, after campaigners call for investigation

After coming under scrutiny, the Tories have done a sudden U-turn on the privatisation of NHS Professionals.

https://leftfootforward.org/2017/09/government-backtracks-on-plan-to-sell-off-nhs-staffing-agency-after-campaigners-call-for-investigation/

NHS Professionals was established as a limited liability company by the last Labour government in 2010.

It currently has a bank of 90,000 workers filling more than two million shifts.

It is believed it saves the NHS £70m every year on expensive private staff agencies.