Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many different employers took on apprentices in (a) Worcester, (b) Worcestershire and (c) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Data is not centrally collected for the number of employers taking on apprentices. The Department publishes details of apprenticeship starts by region and Local Education Authority (LEA) (first link) and apprenticeship participation by region (second link) and LEA (third link) online:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/438150/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/438154/apprenticeships-participation-by-region-and-sector-subject-area.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/378732/apprenticeships-participation-by-constituency-and-local-authority.xls

The Department also publishes details of Workplaces Employing Apprentices by region and Parliamentary constituency; however, workplaces cannot be interpreted as different employers since employers can have apprentices at more than one workplace. This data is published online: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416511/apprenticeships-workplaces-by-region-and-constituency.xls