Now that this consultation has closed, Secretary of State John Denham offers early early feedback on the responses and emerging themes from the consultation
First and foremost, I was really pleased to receive the many constructive comments made by organisations and individuals on the proposition that ESOL funding should be more specifically targeted to foster community cohesion and integration in our communities. This overall direction for ESOL was overwhelmingly supported and I am encouraged that these proposals will mean more flexibility, more consideration of local needs, and importantly, more of a focus on helping build cohesion in our communities.
I said at the launch that this is a radical move and that we will need local, regional and national partners to work closely together. This was one of the clear themes arising from our early analysis of the responses. I appreciate that this is a challenging area and will need careful exploration, planning and support to work effectively and ensure that everyone is clear on their respective roles.
All the responses to the consultation are being carefully considered and a full report will be published on this site in the summer. This of course is just the beginning of the process. Implementation of the approach will require significant changes and so I plan to examine proposed next steps thoroughly through an Impact Assessment to ensure that we fully understand all the implications.
John Denham
Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
