PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Apprentices (19 February 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the number of apprentices at each of the apprenticeship educational levels 2 to 6 whom the Government plans to be part of its target of three million apprentices by 2020.

Asked by:
Dame Angela Eagle (Labour)

Apprenticeships are paid jobs and so their availability and level are dependent upon employers offering opportunities and recruiting apprentices. We will continue to support the growth in apprenticeships at all levels to meet our commitment to 3 million new starts in England by 2020.

We are committed to expanding Degree Apprenticeships, which combine a high quality degree with an apprenticeship. Higher and Degree Apprenticeships are widening access to the professions, providing the higher level technical skills employers need to improve productivity and giving young people an equally valid career route to purely university-based courses.

All Apprenticeship Starts by Level (2014/15 and 2015/16 - Reported to Date)

Level	2014/15	2015/16
	Full Year	August to October
Level 2	298,280	86,620
Level 3	181,760	60,140
Level 4	7,090	2,880
Level 5	12,590	3,200
Level 6	100	240
Total Higher Apprenticeships	19,770	6,320
Total Apprenticeships	499,900	153,100

Answered by:
Nick Boles (Independent)
3 March 2016