An independent review of the UK’s skills needs is to take place, chancellor Gordon Brown has announced.

The review is to be led by chairman of the National Employment Panel Sandy Leitch.

The announcement follows a move by Education Secretary Charles Clarke to protect subjects vital to the UK’s trade and security like science and languages.

Yesterday (1 December) Mr Clarke wrote to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) with a list of courses asking how these could best be safeguarded.

The list includes minority languages, science, technology, engineering, maths and vocationally-oriented courses of particular interest to employers in areas of growing importance to the UK economy.