Fears over Labour’s Apprenticeship Plans

A senior Treasury Minister today celebrated the fall in youth unemployment in an exchange with local MP Graham Stuart, and warned that Labour’s apprenticeships policy poses a risk to young people’s prospects.

Nationally, the number of young people in work has increased by 110,000 in the past year, with the number of 18-24 year olds claiming Job Seekers’ Allowance at its lowest level since the 1970s.

In the constituency of Beverley and Holderness, the claimant count for young people aged between 18 and 24 has fallen from 590 when Labour left office to 275. Across the three constituencies of Hull, it has fallen from 4555 to 2075. The number of apprenticeship starts across the Yorkshire and Humber region has increased from 36,530 in 2009/10 to 53,120 in 2013/14.

In his question to the Treasury Minister, Graham said:

“Youth unemployment in my constituency is down by 53% since 2010. In the city of Hull, it is down by 54%. Does my honourable Friend recognise the opportunity that has been created by the growth in apprenticeships under this Government?”

“Does she agree with the Education Committee that it would be “a mistake” for level 2 apprenticeships to be abolished for young people, as the Labour party proposes? Does she agree, on this occasion, with the TUC, which says it would be “a grave injustice”, or with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, which says that, on apprenticeships, Labour has “got it all wrong”?”

In her response, Andrea Leadsom MP said:

“My hon. Friend is right. Under this Government we have seen over 2 million new apprenticeships, and level 2 apprenticeships are absolutely vital in giving young people a chance.”

“Young people have shared in the success of our long-term economic plan, with the UK now having the fourth highest youth employment rate in the EU and the second highest in the G7. Very importantly, young people’s wages are also on the rise, with the latest data showing that the earnings of 18 to 21-year-olds who work full time have increased by 6% over the past three years.”