Readers may recall our e-update "Apprenticeship Levy (please read even if you don't employ apprentices)" of 20 June 2016 (https://www.macroberts.com/apprenticeship-levy/). The Scottish Government has now announced that it will hold a consultation, launching today (13 July) and ending on 26 August 2016, into how the Apprenticeship Levy can enhance productivity and economic growth in Scotland.

The Levy is to be charged at 0.5% of an employer's annual wage bill, where the payroll exceeds £3 million, and applies to companies regardless of whether or not apprentices are employed.

The consultation will seek views on:

  • continued commitment to 30,000 high quality modern apprenticeship starts by 2020 – including an offer to support further opportunities if there is sufficient demand from industry;
  • developing more graduate level apprenticeships;
  • creating an employer fund for wider workforce development; and
  • providing support for those outside the labour market to prepare them to enter the skilled workforce employers need for their business

The Scottish Government will be assisted by the newly formed Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board in the consultation. Contributions to the consultation are invited from a cross section of industry bodies and those with a shared interest in apprenticeships. The consultation can be accessed here: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/employability-and-training/apprenticeship-levy

The Scottish Minister for Employability and Training, Jamie Hepburn, gave a statement expressing concerns over the UK Apprenticeship Levy's place in Scotland, where apprenticeship policy is a devolved matter for the Scottish Parliament. For further details of his statement please see the Scottish Government Newsroom following this link:
http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Apprenticeship-Levy-25dc.aspx

© MacRoberts 2016

Disclaimer

The material contained in this article is of the nature of general comment only and does not give advice on any particular matter. Recipients should not act on the basis of the information in this e-update without taking appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.