To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people aged between 14 and 16 years are undertaking young apprenticeships. (268363)

The Young Apprenticeship programme for 14 to 16 year olds is a successful pilot available in selected areas since 2004. A total of 17,012 young people are currently on a Young Apprenticeship programme—8,090 as part of cohort 4, the current year 11 group who will be achieving this year, and 8,922 on cohort 5, the year 10 group which started last September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many hours a week on average pupils on young apprenticeships in each industrial sector spent in a work setting in the latest period for which figures are available. (268364)

The Young Apprenticeship programme (YA) for 14 to 16-year-olds is a successful pilot available in selected areas since 2004. From September 2006 all YAs have undertaken a minimum of 50 days work experience, regardless of sector. The Sector Skills Council (SSCs) oversees the quality and certification of this process.

There are a number of approved delivery models with many young people undertaking placements on a one day per week basis. However, on average 44 per cent. of YAs also use periods of block placement to gain work experience with employers or a mixture of both.

An evaluation of the programme carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) which covers the period September 2004 to July 2006 indicated that on average YA learners undertook between 10 and 53 days of work experience. These data cover a period before a 50 day minimum requirement was introduced.

Monitoring of the fulfilment of placements is the responsibility of the lead partner within the YA partnerships which may be a school, work base learning provider or the delivery partner.