Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the Confederation of British Industry, and (2) Trades Union Congress, about apprenticeships.

We meet regularly with employers, providers, and other stakeholders to explore how we can best support businesses to use apprenticeships to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, meets with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and other business representative organisations each quarter to discuss various aspects of apprenticeships and skills policy.

Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a member of the department’s Apprenticeships Stakeholder Board, a diverse group of apprenticeship employers, providers, business representative organisations, and other stakeholders. Through this forum, the TUC provides constructive feedback on the impact of apprenticeship policy and discusses the future strategy of the programme.

We continue to listen to and work with the CBI, the TUC and other stakeholders on all aspects of apprenticeship policy and delivery to ensure the programme continues to deliver for employers of all sizes.