Government's Apprenticeship Plans "Lacking Ambition" Says Industry Body

The British Retail Consortium, which represents major businesses across the UK, has criticised the government's latest plans for apprenticeships, which they say have failed to reform existing schemes in line with industry requests.

Government has announced a package of reforms to apprenticeships to unlock a "tidal wave of opportunity", including an additional £60m which its claims will enable up to 20,000 more apprenticeships for young people and small businesses. The announcements also included a new taskforce which the government says is designed to boost private investment in women-led businesses. 

"Taken together, these measures will unlock a tidal wave of opportunity and make a real difference to businesses and entrepreneurs across the country," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday. 

But the reception from the business sector has been lukewarm, with frustration that the government had not gone further to reform existing apprenticeship rules to benefit larger businesses.

Tom McCarthy, the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) director of external affairs, told PoliticsHome that the government's most recent announcements on apprenticeships "lacked ambition" and had failed to deliver what the consortium had written to apprenticeship minister Robert Halfon asking for multiple times. 

"We've had this engagement, but at no point has the government shown any movement towards offering us flexibility," he said.

"It doesn't seem like it's on their menu in terms of how they see the levy evolving, if they see the levy evolving at all. I don't think we've seen anything which suggests the government is looking to actually inject this flexibility into the levy itself."

McCarthy said retailers were seeking greater "flexibility" within