BPIF vice president and managing director of NB Colour Print, Ken Iddon (pictured) said: "The training levy is seen as a means of making formalised training available to everybody."

The BPIF, GPMU and Graphic Communication NTO were advised earlier this year that John Healey, minister for adult skills, was to consider setting up an Industrial Training Board, which would provide a statutory training levy.

Although the BPIF supported the plan, and has been campaigning for action on training for a long time, Iddon said that if a levy were to be the answer, some 50% of the industry must be in favour.

This would require the participation of the whole of the industry, and not just BPIF members.

Despite the support from the National Council, Iddon said the Federation needed to be sure it "was the right way forward".

The government has indicated that the minimum level of contribution from industry for a levy scheme should be 0.2% of a companys payroll.

However, some BPIF members expressed concern at the figure in light of Mays national insurance contribution increase.

The BPIF also said that another major issue was access to local training facilities, which would need to be made more readily widespread for companies throughout the country.

"People will be looking to place their trainees locally and those facilities need to be available," said Iddon.

He acknowledged the support of the GPMU, and said that the BPIF would not have got this far without its support.

As PrintWeek went to press the GPMU said it was considering its response to the BPIF statement.

Story by Andy Scott