Written question asked by Ashok Kumar (Labour) on Monday, 18 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 20 May 2009. It was answered by Sarah McCarthy-Fry (Labour) on Monday, 1 June 2009 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Apprentices

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many hours a week on average 16 to 18 year-olds spent on apprenticeships in each industrial sector in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Teesside and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Answer: Apprenticeships for young people are normally full-time and the hours that each individual spends on their framework each week are a matter for the apprentice and their employer. Some apprentices work part-time. Information about the number of hours that apprentices work and train each week is not collected centrally. We are currently consulting on a specification for apprenticeship standards in England which proposes a minimum number of guided learning hours per year for all apprentices.The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08.

Secondary information