§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the modern apprenticeship scheme in(a) Wales and (b) Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. [82726]
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§ Mr. HainThe modern apprenticeship programme is one of the main planks in our agenda for improving skills in Wales. Latest figures indicate that Wales has, at over 7 per cent., a proportionately higher than population share of the total of modern apprentices in training in England and Wales. It is our aim to increase the numbers in training from the current 9,100 to 14,000 by the year 2002.
Following the transfer of functions, the modern apprenticeship programme will be a matter for the National Assembly. However, evaluation of the modern apprenticeship programme is undertaken on an England and Wales basis by the Department for Education and Employment and no separate assessment has been made for Flintshire.