Question reference: S5W-01120
- Asked by: Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 29 June 2016
-
Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 30 June 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with employers on the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in Scotland.
Answer
The apprenticeship levy was announced in the UK autumn budget and will come into effect in April 2017. It was announced without consultation with Scottish Ministers despite the delivery of apprenticeships being an area of devolved responsibility.
While we have yet to receive final details of the financial settlement that the Scottish Government will receive from the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, we are aware of the importance of engaging with employers in Scotland that will be affected in shaping our response.
Over recent months the Scottish Government has been engaging with a range of employers and representative bodies across a variety of sectors to better understand the impact that the levy will have, and their thoughts on how levy funding could be used in to deliver inclusive economic growth.
It is clear from engagement to date that businesses are looking for a much broader offer to than that being developed in England. On 13 July 2016 we will launch a consultation with employers to develop a distinctly Scottish approach which supports apprenticeships, wider skills development and deliver closer engagement with industry in our efforts to enhance productivity and economic growth.