Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Civil Service: Apprenticeship Opportunities

Thursday 27 October 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department aims for 5% of the total civil service headcount to be apprentices by 2025.
  • Since April 2016, 47,490 apprentices have been recruited, with 78% based outside London.
  • The Cabinet Office plans to significantly increase its presence in Glasgow, including the creation of high-quality apprenticeships.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Jones Con
Employment
Context

The MP is concerned about the increase of apprenticeship opportunities within the civil service.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to increase apprenticeship opportunities within the civil service?

Answer from Jeremy Quin

As announced in the civil service apprenticeships strategy, we are committed to 5% of total civil service headcount being apprentices by 2025. Some 47,490 apprentices have been recruited since April 2016, with 78% of those being outside London. We will provide entry and progression routes within a range of careers and professions for new and existing staff.

Answered
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Q2 Andrew Jones Con
Employment Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about ensuring apprenticeship opportunities are available alongside the movement of civil service jobs to northern regions as part of the levelling-up drive.

Question

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. I welcome the fact that hundreds of civil service jobs have moved to the north from London as part of our levelling-up drive. It is important to the north that the maximum potential is released by that move. To achieve that, can the Minister assure me that apprenticeship opportunities will be available alongside the move?

Answer from Jeremy Quin

I agree with my hon. Friend, and I can give him that assurance. We want civil service apprenticeship levels to grow in line with the local civil service workforce in every region of the UK. As I say, some 78% of our apprentices are outside London. In Yorkshire alone, we have already created 3,800 apprenticeship opportunities since 2016.

Answered
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Q3 Margaret Ferrier SNP
Employment Scotland Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the proportionate number of high-quality apprenticeships made available within the relocation of jobs from London to Scotland.

Question

The Government have moved 933 jobs from London to Scotland since March 2020. The Cabinet Office's Glasgow HQ is set to more than double its presence by 2025. What steps are Ministers taking to ensure that, within this relocation, a proportionate number of high-quality apprenticeships are made available in Glasgow?

Answer from Jeremy Quin

I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I agree that it is great news that the Cabinet Office, among other Government Departments, is relocating jobs to Scotland. We have a hub in Glasgow; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and many other Departments also have a Scottish hub. That is good news. I have been assured that our UK apprenticeship programmes are available across the UK, and I believe that we are in dialogue with the Scottish Government.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitments on proportionate number of high-quality apprenticeships in Glasgow were not provided.

How: Dialogue With The Scottish Government

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