Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of higher apprenticeships in Lancashire.

Matthew Hancock

Higher apprenticeship starts in Lancashire Local Education Authority have increased from 40 in the 2009/10 academic year to 370 in 2012/13.

The Budget announced £20 million over 2014-15 and 2015-16 for new support for employer investment in apprenticeships in England up to postgraduate level, which will provide apprentices with the technical skills that employers need. This will complement the £80 million funding over 2014-15 and 2015-16 for 20,000 more higher apprenticeships announced in the autumn statement – more than doubling current volumes.