Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of those previously unemployed found work as a result of an apprenticeship in the last three 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.