Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

My Lords, I laid this amendment on behalf of the roofing contractors and the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils. There is considerable concern at the fact that, these days, many adults come forward wanting apprenticeships. Many businesses are anxious to provide such apprenticeships but they find it difficult to do so because so little finance is available. My three amendments seek to add adult apprenticeship training to those listed in paragraph 1 of Schedule 5, which relates to Clause 85. It defines post-19 training with the SFA. We have already discussed the distinction between the words "reasonable" and "proper", and proper facilities should be provided for those listed in Schedule 5, which amounts to those looking for basic adult literacy and numeracy training, those who do not have a level 2 qualification and those up to the age of 25 if they have no level 3 qualification. It is a very sad fact that the number of young people signing up for apprenticeships has fallen over the past two years. Only 3.8 per cent of 16 year-olds are signing up for a level 2 or level 3 apprenticeship and only 6.3 per cent of 17 year-olds are signing up for level 2 and level 3 apprenticeships. There is a dearth of places for apprenticeships offered by employers. Yet employers are anxious to take on adult apprentices at a time when many people are trying to reskill, which picks up the points made by the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, on the previous batch of amendments. At a time when many people are trying, and wanting, to reskill, it seems inappropriate to put barriers in their way. I beg to move.