Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage businesses to take on 16 to 18-years old apprentices.

Additional funding to support younger apprentices is available with £1,000 cash payment to both employers and training providers when taking on a 16 to 18 year-old (providing a total of £2,000). Furthermore, the Government covers the entire cost of training younger apprentices for smaller businesses that employ less than 50 staff.

We are undertaking a range of engagement activities to ensure employers of all sizes are aware of how they can benefit from the opportunities that apprenticeships can offer.