Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to align the goals of the apprenticeship levy with the Government's industrial strategy.

The Industrial Strategy will have a strong focus on education and skills and apprenticeships will be an important part of the strategy. The apprenticeship levy will put funding on a sustainable footing while improving the technical and professional skills of the workforce, an important component of productivity.

We are well-placed to support the emerging Industrial Strategy and have already announced an increase in funding for STEM frameworks of 40% at level 2 and 80% at level 3. From April 2017, the Institute for Apprenticeships will work with employers to develop a better understanding of where apprenticeships can help address skills gaps.