To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what forecast she has made of the take-up by graduates of the Graduate Guarantee in the next 12 months; and how many (a) internships and (b) training places she expects to be made available under the scheme in the next 12 months. (315670)

In November 2009 the Prime Minister announced that the Government will guarantee access to an internship, training or help to become self-employed to all new graduates reaching six months of unemployment.

The Graduate Guarantee is based on:

The 20,000 graduate internships available through the Graduate Talent Pool (open to all graduates, from now);

The training options available through the Six Month Offer and Young Person’s Guarantee;

Help to become self employed through Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Economic Challenge Investment Fund and Flying Start; and

The business start-up support offered through the self employment option of the Six Month Offer.

We have not made forecasts of the take-up of each of these offers by graduates but we have guaranteed a place for every graduate who wants one.