Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the apprenticeship levy on universities.

A key part of the Government’s commitment of 3 million apprenticeships starts in England by 2020 is to ensure that quality apprenticeships are available at all levels and in all sectors. This will give people the widest opportunity to participate in high quality programmes to improve their skills and give employers, including universities, the skilled workforce they need to grow and improve productivity.

We are encouraging employers to take the lead in developing more apprenticeship standards at degree level. This will create a business opportunity for universities, many of which are already working with employers to design apprenticeships.