Apprentices: Leeds

John Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people were undertaking apprenticeships in Leeds West constituency in each year since 2005.

Mr. Simon
Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 64,000 with only 27 per cent. completions to last year's record high of 225,000 with 64 per cent. completions, a remarkable achievement.

Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts in the parliamentary constituency of Leeds West, in each academic year from 2005-06 to 2007-08.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |2005-06|2006-07|2007-08|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Leeds West constituency                                                                                                                                                                                              |290    |360    |410    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|All apprenticeships                                                                                                                                                                                                  |175,000|184,400|224,800|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Notes:1. Parliamentary Constituency is based on learner's home postcode.2. Numbers for Leeds West have been rounded to the nearest ten.3. Numbers for England have been rounded to the nearest hundred.Source:WBL ILR|       |       |       |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------