Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many apprenticeship places were taken up by people (a) already in employment with the same employer, (b) already in employment with a new employer and (c) who were previously unemployed in each of the last five years.

Figures are not available on the numbers of apprenticeships taken up with the same or different employer.

Table 1 attached shows the number of apprenticeship starts by individuals aged 19-64 who were in receipt of a DWP benefit in the 6 months prior to starting their learning in the 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 academic years (August – July). Statistics are only available for these academic years.

In 2012/13, 45,800 individuals started an apprenticeship who were previously in the receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance or in the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group in the 6 months prior to starting their learning. This is an increase from 42,900 in 2011/12 and 33,500 in 2010/11.