Four Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) have been relicensed, Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary Lord Mandelson has announced on behalf of the UK government and the Devolved Administrations.

Creative & Cultural Skills (covering the creative and cultural sector), Lantra (covering the environmental and land-based sector), Proskills (covering the process and manufacturing sector) and Skillsmart Retail (covering the retail sector) proven successful in their applications for further trademark licences to operate as SSCs and have gone through a comprehensive assessment process led by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Lord Mandelson says: “Employers can be confident that the Sector Skills Councils relicensed today have come through a rigorous assessment and will offer employers the highest quality service in meeting their skills needs.

”The renewal of these licences also gives confidence to the government that each of these SSCs is truly backed by its industry, has the support of employers and is properly equipped to identify the skills needs of its sector.”