To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeship places there are for 16 and 17 year olds in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex; and what plans he has for the provision of such places in the future. (151353)

(i) The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts for 16 to 18-year-olds in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in 2005-06.

(ii) We want to continue the expansion of apprenticeships so that by 2013 every suitably qualified young person will be able to take up a place on the programme.

We are working with the LSC to promote apprenticeships to employers of all sizes and so increase their take-up. Many employers are already on board with 130,000 offering apprenticeships in England with over 180 apprenticeships available across more than 80 industry sectors.

We have increased the completion rate to 59 per cent. and rising—up from only 24 per cent. five years ago. We plan to increase this further in the next three years to match that of other top competitors. The Government are working with the LSC and key partners to deliver provider incentives; foster provider collaboration; improve staff training; and develop with Sector Skills Councils guidance for individual sectors.

Diplomas will also provide clear progression routes into apprenticeships and, indeed, contain apprenticeship components within their content where specified by the Diploma Development Partnerships.

We are also building stronger links with higher education to ensure that apprentices who have the ambition and capacity to do so can enter higher education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeship schemes are operating in the Poole area. (151579)

Figures for those participating in apprenticeships can be derived from the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Individualised Learner Record (ILR). There were 380 learners on apprenticeships and 180 on advanced apprenticeships in Poole parliamentary constituency (based on home postcode of the learner) in 2005-06.

Note:

Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Source:

Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Work Based Learning (WBL) Individualised Learner Record (ILR)