Oral Answers to Questions

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Thursday 7th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

My hon. Friend makes that comment far better than I could.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

14. What proportion of new over-18 apprenticeships have been taken by people in existing employment since May 2010.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills (Matthew Hancock)]

Apprenticeships are designed to help people develop the skills they need to enter an occupation, and to reskill and progress within a job. The 2011 apprenticeship pay survey found that 77% of apprentices had some experience of work with the same employer before the start of their apprenticeship.

[Kevin Brennan]

Will the Minister undertake to make clear in all statements about apprenticeships how many are new starts in employment, and how many are existing employment? Will he confirm that a lot of the increase in the number of apprenticeships has come from converting the previous Train to Gain scheme into apprenticeships?

[Matthew Hancock]

It is very important not only for people to enter the workplace, but to improve their skills within it. For instance, 99% of those on management apprenticeships had some previous experience of work in the company, which is to be expected. It is about getting people out of unemployment, but also ensuring that their skills improve while they are in a job.