Boosting Britain's skills levels is set to be a cornerstone of Labour's promises for the next election.

In his speech at the Labour Party Conference, Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged to improve vocational training when he set out 10 election pledges that he hopes will win his party a third term in government.

Mr Blair said that adults would get free training up to NVQ level 2 and support to get them to level 3.

He pledged an expansion of apprenticeships, to train 300,000 people and greater access to vocational courses in schools.

The Prime Minister also promised to increase investment in "the knowledge economy" by investing £1 billion in science, support to small business and making broadband universally available by 2008.