Amongst the flurry of activity marking Labour's return to government after a 14-year absence the introduction of Skills England could be too easily lost in importance as growth, devolution, and in education a review of the curriculum from primary level upwards take centre stage.

However, the new body has the potential to mark the first steps on the road to a more coherent, ‘tertiary' approach to post compulsory educational system in England which can support local and combined authorities in meeting the differing skills challenge they face.