Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering apprenticeships which provide Level 5 and Level 6 planning qualifications.

An apprenticeship is a job with training which offers a high-quality alternative to academic and classroom-based qualifications. Employers are at the heart of our apprenticeship system, and employers in the construction and built environment sector have designed a range of high-quality apprenticeship standards to meet their skills needs.

There are currently 99 apprenticeship standards approved for delivery in the construction and built environment sector, including level 4 town planning assistant, level 6 project controls professional, and level 7 chartered town planner. These standards have been developed in collaboration with employers to ensure that apprentices are occupationally competent once they achieve their end point assessment.

Where there is a genuine occupational gap not met by an existing apprenticeship standard, employers are able to work with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to develop a high-quality apprenticeship which meets their needs.