Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future use by her Department of funds allocated for apprenticeships before the introduction of the apprenticeship levy.

The introduction of the apprenticeships levy puts the funding of apprenticeships on a sustainable long-term footing. The 2015 Spending Review set forward budgets for apprenticeship spending, and £2.5 billion will be invested in apprenticeships in England by 2019-20 – double the amount spent in 2010-11.

Funds allocated in 2016/17, before the levy was introduced, were spent on apprenticeships. There have been no further discussions on this matter.

Further information about the levy and budget can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545145/Apprenticeships_-expected_levy_and_total_spend_-_Aug_2016.pdf