Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many organisations were liable for the apprenticeship levy in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The number of employers that paid the Apprenticeship Levy in the 2022 to 2023, 2023 to 2024, and 2024 to 2025 tax years are outlined in the table below. Figures have been provided on a tax-year receipts basis and rounded to the nearest 100.

Table: Number of employers paying the Apprenticeship Levy

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people started an apprenticeship in (1) thatching, (2) stone masonry level 2, (3) stone masonry level 3, and (4) stained glass crafts, in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2021, (d) 2022, (e) 2023, (f) 2024, and (g) 2025.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The requested data on how many people started an apprenticeship in thatching, stone masonry (levels 2 and 3) and stained glass crafts, across the specified dates, is set out below:

Level 2 Thatcher (ST0821)

There have been no people starting a Level 2 Thatcher (ST0821) apprenticeship since it was approved for delivery in February 2024.

Level 2 Stonemasonry (ST0442)

There have been a total of 243 starts on the Level 2 Stonemasonry (ST0442) apprenticeship since it was approved for delivery in June 2021. No data is available for 2015/2016 because the qualification did not exist at the time:

2020/21 – 1 start

2021/22 – 67 starts

2022/23 – 53 starts

2023/24 – 31 starts

2024/25 – 49 starts

2025/26 - 42 starts

There is no Level 3 in Stonemasonry available at present.

Level 4 Stained Glass Craftsperson (ST0912)

There have been a total of 3 starts on this apprenticeship since it was approved for delivery in September 2021: No data is available for 2015/2016 because the qualification did not exist at the time:

2020/21 – 0 starts

2021/22 – 0 starts

2023/24 – 1 start

2024/25 – 2 starts

This has been derived from the Skills England website, where all data regarding apprenticeships is publicly available.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the maximum apprenticeship funding available in (1) 2019, (2) 2022, and (3) 2025, for the apprenticeship standards for (a) chartered managers, (b) human resource managers, and (c) senior leaders; and what was the average duration of funding for each of those standards.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The typical duration from apprenticeship start date to apprenticeship gateway and the maximum funding available for standards (a) to (c) are in the below table. This information is published at Apprenticeship search / Skills England.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of apprenticeship levy-paying employers spent more than 50 per cent of the funds in their apprenticeship accounts in 2025.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In 2025, 37% of levy payers spent more than 50 per cent of the funds in their apprenticeship service accounts.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many private sector publicly funded providers of apprenticeship training had learner apprentices enrolled in (1) 2022–23, (2) 2023–24, and (3) 2024–25; how many of providers of that type who had participating learners in 2018–19 had participating learners in 2024–25; and how many providers of that type who had participating apprentice learners in 2021–22 did so in 2024–25.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The number of private sector publicly funded providers for 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 was:

The number of private sector publicly funded providers with learners participating in both 2018/19 and 2024/25 was 540.

The number of private sector publicly funded providers with learners participating in both 2021/22 and 2024/25 was 762.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total number of higher technical qualifications approved for delivery in 2024–25.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In September 2024, there were 227 qualifications awarded the HTQ quality mark and approved for delivery in the 2024/25 academic year. A further 39 qualifications were awarded the HTQ quality mark between September 2024 and August 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people currently work for Skills England.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As of May 2026, Skills England employs 252 people.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people were employed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education in 2023.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The average number of full-time equivalent (FTE) persons employed by IfATE in 2023/2024 is 332. This is a monthly average across the financial year. This information can be found attached in The Annual report and Accounts for 2023/2024.

Found: Newby Baroness Penn Lord Prentis of Leeds Lord Reid of Cardowan Baroness Wheatcroft Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

Found: Newby; Baroness Penn; Lord Prentis of Leeds; Lord Reid of Cardowan; Baroness Wheatcroft; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

The Economic Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into fiscal devolution in England. The inquiry will consider what form fiscal devolution might take, its distributional consequences, and what governance arrangements might be needed as more powers are devolved to local areas. The committee has issued a call for written evidence and will be taking oral evidence from May 2025.