Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether progress was made in discussions on the apprenticeship levy at the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Council on 24 October 2016.

On 25 October, the UK Government published its funding plans which underpin how the levy will operate in England. These plans will provide more support for younger apprentices and disadvantaged people, as well as more flexibility for employers. More details on the policy are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-apprenticeship-funding-to-transform-investment-in-skills.

As skills policy is devolved, it is for the Scottish Government to decide how it will use its share of the funding.