The TUC has called for Employer Training Pilots to be extended across the country.

ETPs run in 12 areas of England, but the union said that the interim evaluation of the pilots by the Institute for Employment Studies showed that giving incentives to employers and employees helped to boost training uptake.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, said: 'The TUC believe that Employer Training Pilots should form the cornerstone of a national New Deal for the employed that gives workers access to a full range of training opportunities.

'This would be supported by a new legal right to paid time-off for training for all low skilled employees.'

The pilots are currently running in 12 areas of the UK, but this is to be extended to a further six following a £190m cash injection from Chancellor Gordon Brown in his pre-budget report.

ETPs are aimed at lower skilled workers and offer paid time off work to train, wage compensation for employers and free or subsidised training.