Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with GTA England on access to skills and apprenticeship funding for group training associations in the last 12 months.

We are committed to supporting employers and training providers to offer high-quality apprenticeship training opportunities. This includes fully funding apprenticeships for eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes, a new £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy-paying employers, typically SMEs, that hire eligible apprentices under-25, and continuing to provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on eligible young apprentices.

The department and Skills England engage regularly with employers, providers, and membership bodies on apprenticeship and skills training and funding support. GTA England have also hosted roundtables with their members and officials, offering their insights to wider skills policy conversations.