News

Spending on training across the public sector fell in 2004 and is likely to contract further this year, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's annual survey suggests.

It found that more public sector training managers report budget cuts than those in the private sector. The latter were also more optimistic that training budgets would increase in the coming 12 months.

The survey's authors state that this is a reverse of the 2003 survey findings and is surprising considering the government's extra investment in the public sector. The report concludes: "One reason may be that public sector training budgets were squeezed as organisations have increased pay levels to confront mounting recruitment and retention difficulties."

But sector skills council Skills for Care - formerly Topss England - doubts that the findings reflect the true situation in social care because all employers in the sector had to spend a certain amount to meet the requirements of the care standards.

An SfC spokesperson said the extra training spend in the private sector would help many social care staff - around three-quarters are employed in the independent sector.

• CIPD survey at www.cipd.co. uk/subjects/training/general/ey.htm?IsSrchRes=1