Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to address the fact that self-employed workers are less likely to get onto apprenticeships as they are not on the payroll for PAYE and therefore not part of the levy calculation.

Apprenticeships are paid jobs and availability is determined by employers, both small and large, choosing to offer apprenticeships and recruit apprentices.

The UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy will enable us to fund the step change needed to achieve 3 million quality apprenticeship starts in England by 2020, benefitting employers and learners alike.

Supporting and growing apprenticeships amongst smaller employers who won’t be asked to pay the levy is critical to us. The government will pay 90% of the apprenticeship training and assessment costs (up to the maximum amount of government funding available for that apprenticeship) and the employer will only pay a 10% contribution. We will extend government support to 100% for the smallest employers taking on younger apprentices.

We are undertaking a wide range of activity to ensure employers of all sizes are aware of how they can make the most of the opportunities presented by apprenticeship reforms.