Written question asked by Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 9 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 March 2009. It was answered by Sion Simon (Labour) on Monday, 16 March 2009 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Apprentices

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what progress the Government has made towards its targets for apprenticeships.

Answer: [holding answer 12 March 2009]: This Government have rescued and expanded the apprenticeship programme. We will meet our target of 130,000 completions by 2010/11. Completions have more than trebled since 2001/02, from 39,000 to 113,000 in 2007/08. This means that over the 10-year period from 2001/02, to the end of the CSR period in 2010/11, around 900,000 young people and adults will have successfully completed their apprenticeship. Completion rates also reached an all-time high in 2007/08 of 64 per cent., compared to 48 per cent. in 2005/06. By 2020 we aim to deliver over 250,000 apprenticeship starts and 190,000 successful completions in order to meet the Leitch ambition for apprenticeships in England. We are on track to meet this ambition with a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08.

Secondary information