Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to protect the number of apprenticeships available with non-levy paying small employers in England.

The department has recently awarded providers across the country with initial awards totalling approximately £485 million to deliver apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers.

Non-levy paying employers benefit from government co-investment of 90 per cent of apprenticeship training and assessment costs. Additionally, 100 per cent of the cost for training is covered for small employers with fewer than 50 employees who take on apprentices that are 16 to 18 years old, 19 to 24 year old care leavers or 19 to 24 year old with an Education and Health Care Plan.