Apprentices: Finance

Mr. Hayes
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether access to the skills account for advanced apprentices announced in his speech of 31 October 2007 will be means-tested.

Mr. Lammy
Skills Accounts will not be means tested. Skills Accounts aim to give individuals, in or out of work, more ownership, purchasing power and choice over their training, helping them progress in their careers and in sustainable employment. Skills Account holders will have better information and access to key services, such as the new universal careers service. They will also be able to see the costs and value of training and find out about financial support, entitlements and learning options available to them, including Apprenticeships. They will be trialled nationally in England in 2009-10.