Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to re-defining land-based apprenticeships as STEM subjects.

From May 2017, frameworks in some sector subject areas will incorporate a STEM uplift on the basis that employers were previously more likely to make additional contributions to the costs of training in these areas. We sought evidence on what sector subject areas should be included in the policy for 2017/18, prior to the policy being confirmed last October, and will monitor the market response as the policy takes effect.

We are also moving the market away from frameworks to standards, which are higher quality and more rigorous. We recognise this in the new system by allocating higher funding bands to apprenticeship standards, relative to equivalent frameworks, where appropriate. Over the course of the parliament, we will phase out the current apprenticeship frameworks so that all new apprentices undertake standards. The agriculture sector has good emerging coverage in terms of standards, with land-based engineering already in delivery, and more under development.