Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage businesses to take on apprentices.

Later this month, we will launch a communications campaign that will promote the benefits of apprenticeships to employers.

From next April, the apprenticeship levy will put funding in the hands of employers and encourage them to take on more apprentices.

We are also supporting smaller businesses taking on young apprentices through the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers; and removed the requirement for employers to pay National Insurance contributions for apprentices aged under 25.