Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to differentiate between the roles of her Department and the Institute for Apprenticeships on the (a) quality of apprenticeships training and (b) collection and analysis of data.

From April 2017, the Institute for Apprenticeships will take on a number of functions relating to the quality of apprenticeship standards. The Institute’s key responsibilities will be: to set quality criteria for the development of apprenticeship standards and assessment plans; to review, approve or reject them; to advise on the maximum level of Government funding available for standards; and to quality assure some end point assessments. The Institute will have analytical capability to support its function, advising on funding caps and on other issues where appropriate. Responsibility for monitoring the quality of apprenticeship training will not transfer to the Institute.

The Department for Education will retain responsibility for the quality framework. Primary responsibility for the collection and analysis of data and metrics for apprenticeships, and the success of the apprenticeship programme, will remain with the Department, particularly through the work of the Skills Funding Agency.