To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of apprenticeships there were in the public sector at 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement. (255511)

In Quarter 3 2008, there were just under 10,000 people of working age¹ studying towards an apprenticeship in the public sector. This represents around 7 per cent. of those working age people in England studying towards an apprenticeship.

These data are taken from the most recent quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS) which covers the period July to September (2008). Data up to 31 December 2008 will be available from 11 February.

¹ Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59