Oral Answers to Questions

Paul Blomfield Excerpts

Monday 16th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Dame Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

2. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

[Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hayes]

The right hon. Lady will know that this Government have done more on apprenticeship standards than any previous Government, including the one she supported. Minimum lengths for apprenticeships; statutory national standards; every level 2 apprenticeship moving to GCSE English and maths equivalent; tighter frameworks—these are things that the last Government could have done, but did not. Record growth, record standards—she should be proud of that, as we are.

[Paul Blomfield]

As the latest apprenticeship figures show, the Government are failing to make progress among 16 to 18-year-olds. Will the Minister therefore join me in congratulating Sheffield city council on its scheme for young people who are not in education, employment or training, which has created 100 new apprenticeships this year and promises 100 more next year, and will he urge other councils to follow that example?

[Mr Hayes]

The hon. Gentleman is a great authority on these matters, and he is wise enough to know that he needs to get his figures right if he is to quote them in the House. Although they are provisional, the latest data, for the first two quarters, show that apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds continue to rise. That is not a surprise, given that over the last two years those young apprenticeships have risen by over 30%. Doing the best by young people—that characterises all that this Government do.