Apprenticeships

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support apprenticeships for young people. I am concerned about the inconsistency between the Government's claims and reality; the number of apprenticeships has dropped in my constituency, from 150 down to 120. Despite stating that more apprenticeships are a good idea, why does he not sign up for 100,000 new ones and support the Conservative new deal for young people?

Question

In response to my first question, there is no correlation between what the Minister says and what is happening on the ground. In Broadland and Fakenham, the number of apprenticeships has dropped by 20% from 150 down to 120. Despite stating that more apprenticeships are a good idea, why does he not sign up for 100,000 new ones and support the Conservative new deal for young people?

Question

I draw the House's attention to my entry in the Register of Members' Financial Interests: I am a governor at two educational institutions, and I chair the all-party parliamentary group on sixth form education. My question is on access to the apprenticeship register because great companies such as the Spark Group are struggling to get the registration they want in order to grow their offer to young people. They are limited by the £100,000 de minimis for subcontracting but have young people who want to take on the apprenticeships they are offering. Will the Minister set out what this Government might do to change that and agree to meet me and the Spark Group so we can look at ways it can give young people the opportunities they want?