Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of apprenticeships on increasing the environmental health workforce.

Employers operating in environmental health have developed the environmental health practitioner level 6 degree apprenticeship to help them develop their workforces. Further detail about the apprenticeship can be found on the Skills England website at: https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0714-v1-0.

The government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners in England and support the industrial strategy. In August the department introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country.

Skills England is working closely with employers to identify priority skills gaps, helping ensure that the levy-funded growth and skills offer delivers value for money, meets the needs of business and helps kick-start economic growth.