Modern Apprenticeship Schemes

HC Deb 21 February 1995 vol 255 cc159-60W

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the contract signed by the apprentice and the employer on modern apprenticeship schemes is legally binding.

Mr. Paice

Modern apprenticeships call for a training agreement recording commitment of all parties to pursue the training to a successful outcome. There is, however, no prescription by the Department as to the form or content of an agreement. This is left to the parties with the support of the industry training organisations and training and enterprise councils. For this reason, I cannot answer for the legal status of training agreements as a class of document. I can say that the possibility that an agreement will be legally binding is not precluded.