Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Carmichael Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

Part of the long-term economic plan is the drive to improve skills, which is relevant to my constituency, where manufacturing is important and growing. Does the Chief Secretary agree that it makes a big contribution to driving up productivity?

[Danny Alexander]

I totally agree with my hon. Friend and I congratulate him on the work he has done in his constituency to promote the take-up of apprenticeships. The fact that there have already been 1.6 million apprenticeship starts during this Parliament compared with about 1 million during the previous Parliament shows the additional emphasis, even in these tough financial times, that this Government are putting on making sure that young people have the right skills for today’s economy.