Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Tomlinson Excerpts
Monday 14th May 2018

(6 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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Of course, through the apprenticeship levy, the funding available for apprenticeships will be roughly twice what it was at the start of the decade, and further education colleges are among those that can bid for that funding and benefit from it.

Michael Tomlinson Portrait Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)
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Further to the question from the hon. Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) about funding for the levy, is it not right that the levy is an important part of the reforms in this policy area and will ensure that there is long-term investment in apprenticeship training?

Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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That is absolutely right. As I said earlier, the levy ensures that all sizeable firms contribute to the upskilling of the nation. It is an employer-led system to make sure that the apprenticeships that are done are those demanded by employers.