Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure apprenticeship starts offer opportunities for employment across the UK and not just in the region where the apprenticeships are served.

Apprenticeships policy is devolved and it is for each of the UK nations, including Northern Ireland, to decide how they operate their apprenticeship programmes.

The locations and sectors where apprenticeships are available are determined by employers choosing to offer opportunities and recruit apprentices.

Officials are in ongoing discussions with those in the devolved administrations to consider any cross-border issues in relation to apprenticeship programmes.