Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49486, on apprentices, what plans she has to provide extra support for ex-offenders.

We are committed to making sure that apprenticeships are as accessible as possible, to all people, from all backgrounds.

Delivering more apprenticeships, of better quality, will ensure that more people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to progress. Ex-offenders are given anonymity so apprentice job applicants do not need to tell potential employers about spent convictions or cautions.

Where eligible, ex-offenders can benefit from the extra payments announced in October for 16-18 year olds and 19-24 year olds formerly in care or with an Education, Health and Care Plan. Employers and providers will receive a payment of £1,000 to support additional costs associated with these apprentices. Additionally, the Government will make an additional payment to providers for training an apprentice who lives in an area amongst the 27% most deprived. We are also trialling a two year project worth £2 million per year tailoring Access to Work support to apprentices with mental health problems in the workplace from which some ex-offenders could benefit.