Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported concerns of engineering companies (1) that the limit of £27,000 a year on individual apprenticeship funding is not enough, and (2) that there is a lack of approved apprenticeship training providers.

£27,000 represents the maximum amount that the government will contribute towards an apprenticeship, either as part of co-investment or through spending from employer accounts. This upper limit has been set to support the affordable delivery of three million high quality apprenticeships by 2020. The Institute for Apprenticeships makes recommendations on the funding levels for new and existing standards within the band structure. We have no plans to introduce a higher funding band or increase the £27,000 upper limit.

There are currently over 2,600 providers on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers, including over 1,900 main providers. This provides employers with choice, ensuring they get the skills they need to grow their business. We are currently reviewing the Register, reflecting on the first year of its operation, and intend to re-open it for applications in the autumn. We want to ensure that the Register continues to provide assurance to employers that the training providers they choose have the capacity and capability to deliver good quality apprenticeship training, supporting an increase in the quality of training for apprentices.