Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help businesses make effective use of the Apprenticeship Levy funding.

The department is responsible for apprenticeships policy in England and is working closely on the Industrial Strategy with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to meet the skills needs of business.

The Apprenticeship Levy gives employers control of the apprenticeship training that they buy. We continue to work closely with all employers in England to help them take advantage of the levy and wider funding arrangements to invest in their long-term skills needs.

In response to feedback from employers, in April 2019 we raised the amount that levy-paying employers can transfer to other employers to 25% of the annual value of their fund. This increase offers levy-paying employers more options in how they use their funds and also gives them the opportunity to support apprenticeships locally or within supply chains.

We provide ongoing face-to-face support for over 1,000 of the largest levy-paying employers through our network of national account managers. We also support a further 4,500 levy-payers through our dedicated telephone account management service.

We have recently held 8 country-wide roadshows, attended by over 800 employers, to communicate with large employers and encourage them to share good practice.

Our National Apprenticeship Service provides free impartial advice to all employers, including small and medium-sized businesses, via its helpline. It also works through intermediary organisations to reach smaller employers and increase their engagement in apprenticeships.

We produce a range of guidance for employers which is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-guide-for-employers.