Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of differences in apprenticeship systems across the UK on employers operating nationally.

Apprenticeships is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This government is committed to working closely with the devolved governments on the apprenticeships policy in each of the devolved nations, including on the development of the Growth and Skills Levy for England, to share best practice and support one another in boosting growth and spreading opportunity throughout the UK. We regularly talk to large employers who operate across the UK to support them with their apprenticeship programmes.