Question
Every year on A-level results day, I hold a youth drop-in event at Market Place in Bolton town centre to connect young people with the skills, opportunities and training that I benefited from myself. Every year, young people tell me that they would benefit from more apprenticeships. What further action is the Chancellor taking to work with employers, colleges and training providers to expand apprenticeship places and ensure that young people in constituencies like mine can access the skills and training needed for successful careers?
Answer
Let me congratulate my hon. Friend on her important work, and on what sounds like a feature of the calendar in her constituency. All parts of society have a role to play in tackling the challenges we face when it comes to young people’s participation in the world of work. When it comes to apprenticeships, we have already reformed the levy to make sure that there is £1 billion extra over this spending review period, which will provide 50,000 more young apprenticeships. I note that over half of the apprenticeship starts in her constituency involve young people, but we need to make sure there are many more in the years ahead.29% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (70/100)
The reply gives concrete, direct answers on the first part of the question: it names specific measures, including reform of the apprenticeship levy, £1 billion of extra funding and 50,000 more young apprenticeships. It is less complete on how the government will work with employers, colleges and training providers, and it offers only general statements on that point. The second part, on helping young people into work, is answered mainly through apprenticeships and constituency-level data, without addressing the wider range of skills and training, so the asker may still want more detail.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What further action is the Chancellor taking, working with employers, colleges and training providers, to expand apprenticeship places? | Addressed | Direct | The reply names concrete action on apprenticeship places: reforming the levy, £1 billion of extra funding over the spending review period, and 50,000 more young apprenticeships. It does not spell out the joint working with employers, colleges and training providers beyond the vague 'all parts of society' line, but the mechanisms it names answer the question's core ask. |
| What action is being taken to ensure that young people in constituencies like the questioner's can access the skills and training needed for successful careers? | Addressed | Direct | The reply points to the reformed levy and its 50,000 additional young apprenticeships as action to help young people into work, and gives constituency-specific data on apprenticeship starts. The answer is confined to apprenticeships rather than the wider range of skills and training, and the 'all parts of society' statement is only a platitude, so confidence is moderate. |