Innovation, Universities and Skills written question – answered at on 5 May 2009.
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to provide apprenticeships in the energy sector.
holding answer
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Children Schools and Families currently fund apprenticeships in a number of energy related occupations in the gas, electricity and nuclear industries in England. In 2007-08 900 young people started an apprenticeship in the energy sector. We are taking a wide range of steps to encourage more employers to offer high quality places in all sectors of the economy. We also believe apprenticeships can play a key role in our response to the current economic downturn. Earlier in the year my right hon. friend the Prime Minister announced a £140 million package to provide an extra 35,000 apprenticeship places over the coming year in both the public and private sectors to help strengthen the country's competitiveness.
In January the new online apprenticeship vacancy matching service for employers and potential apprentices went live. The first chief executive of the new National Apprenticeship Service took up post in February and the National Apprenticeship Service was fully functional from
Our New Opportunities White Paper published in January announced the Government's commitment to extend group training associations; ensure all apprentices have clear progression routes; and commits to work towards an entitlement to an apprenticeship for all young people leaving care. Looking to the future, we have set ambitious targets for the growth of the Apprenticeships programme. Apprenticeships provisions are being taken forward as part of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, including provisions to ensure that an apprenticeship place is available for all suitably qualified young people by 2013.
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Dark Lochnagar
Posted on 7 May 2009 12:57 am (Report this annotation)
Surely apprenticeships in the Westminster Parliament are only applicable to England. If so, why as a Scottish MP are you asking about something which is not of any concern to your Constituents. Was this just a "patsy" question to make a Government spokesman look good?