Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Degree-level Apprenticeships

Monday 29 January 2024 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government have built an apprenticeship system reaching 700 occupations from level 2 to master's degree level 7, with over 5.7 million starts since 2010.
  • Louie French highlighted the role of apprenticeships in the economy and social mobility, contrasting Conservative support for apprenticeships with Labour's focus on teaching divisive ideas.
  • Tim Farron asked about investing in agricultural degree apprenticeships, working with the University of Cumbria and Cumbria's further education colleges to create new farming leaders.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Education
Context

The MP inquires about steps being taken to encourage the uptake of degree-level apprenticeships.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to encourage the take-up of degree-level apprenticeships?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

The Government have built one of the most powerful apprenticeship systems in the world, reaching nearly 700 different occupations from level 2 through to master's degree level 7. Over 5.7 million starts since 2010. There are now over 170 employer-designed degree-level apprenticeships available including for medical doctors, space engineers, midwives, social workers and more. We are providing an additional £40 million in the next two financial years to support providers.

Answered
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Q2 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Education Employment
Context

The MP argues for the importance of apprenticeships, highlighting their role in the economy and social mobility.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that apprenticeships have a key role to play in our economy and in social mobility, and that while Labour wants to focus on teaching divisive ideas such as white privilege in schools, the Conservatives want to support people from all backgrounds to get on in life?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. Bexley's apprenticeship event on 5 February will be a fantastic opportunity for local people to learn about the apprenticeships on offer in his constituency. We have transformed our apprenticeship system and are looking at ways to ensure its sustainability.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Labour party's focus on teaching ideas such as white privilege.

How: Looking At Ways To Ensure Its Sustainability

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Q3 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP requests for investment in agricultural degree apprenticeships to ensure a pipeline of new leaders.

Question

Will they decide to invest in agricultural degree apprenticeships, working with the University of Cumbria and Cumbria's further education colleges, to make sure we have a pipeline of new leaders who can feed us and care for our environment through farming?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

When I was apprenticeships and skills Minister, we worked together to ensure a sustainable college offer in the area. My right hon. Friend will be very happy to work on that. We are looking to expand degree apprenticeships. Provision is in place to work with providers to offer many opportunities including in agriculture.

Partly answered

How: Looking To Expand, We Are Working

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Q4 Seema Malhotra Labour (Co-op) Feltham and Heston
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP highlights the decline of SME apprenticeships since 2016 and questions if more flexibility is needed to enable businesses to deliver training.

Question

Next week is National Apprenticeship Week, and I look forward to celebrating apprenticeships across the country. However, the number of SME apprenticeships has plummeted by 49% since 2016, research shows that the levy is failing to reverse this decline in employer training more widely. Is not the real answer to back our businesses giving them greater flexibility to enable them to deliver the training we need?

Answer from Gillian Keegan

Absolutely. Improvements were made to ensure every apprenticeship was of high quality. We have removed caps on SMEs, focusing on reducing steps to access the system. We are looking at ways to ensure that apprenticeships work well for SMEs which account for 70% of employment.

Partly answered

How: Looking At Ways

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