Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how non-levy apprenticeship contracts are awarded; and who within the Education and Skills Funding Agency is responsible for making such awards.

In July 2017, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) launched a procurement process, which established a network of contractors who will delivery apprenticeship training to employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy. This was in accordance with its general obligations under the Public Contracts Regulation 2015.

A dedicated team at the ESFA implemented and managed the procurement process. Contracts were then awarded by the ESFA’s Chief Executive, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, to the providers who were successful under the terms of the procurement.