Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying for degree-level apprenticeships.

The availability of level 6+ apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships has grown significantly, with 78 standards now available at levels 6 and 7, of which 60 include a degree. The National Apprenticeship Service works with local partners and through an employer engagement campaign across the most deprived local authority areas (65 in total) to make sure that apprenticeships are available in disadvantaged areas at all levels.

We have also recently launched our Opportunities Through Apprenticeships project, working with local authorities, employers and providers in Portsmouth, South Tyneside, Nottingham and Torbay to increase participation in high-value apprenticeships and drive social mobility. We have supported degree apprenticeships for those from disadvantaged backgrounds through the Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund.

In 2017, we launched the second phase of the fund to expand degree apprenticeships and to widen access to the opportunities they offer. The fund also incorporated measures to expand provision in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and improve gender diversity in STEM apprenticeships. It also supported a range of awareness-raising activities focusing on higher-level and degree apprenticeships, including 30 co-branded Universities and Colleges Admissions Service/National Apprenticeship Service careers fairs offering 240,000 Year 12 students access to information on high quality technical education options at all levels.