Hospitality businesses are among the leaders backing Labour plans to overhaul the Apprenticeship Levy.
The party has secured a fresh letter of support if it wins the UK general election next week, with 57 signatories backing the Labour plan for a new growth and skills levy.
The FT reports that these include executives from several hospitality companies including the pub group Fuller’s, Stonegate, Revolution Bars, KFC and trade body UKHospitality.
The Labour Party has recommitted to its plan to broaden the existing Apprenticeship Levy into a ‘Growth and Skills’ Levy, allowing businesses to use up to 50% of their levy contributions to fund training through routes other than apprenticeships.
This would increase the flexibility that employers have to fund training and bring England in line with the rest of the UK and most other comparable countries, where training subsidies dedicated specifically to funding apprenticeships are uncommon.
The letter warns that the number of apprenticeship starts has dropped by a third and the number of those achieving an apprenticeship has halved.
The signatories, say they endorse Labour’s approach to have “more adaptable training”, offering learning across a range of skills.
“Billions have been lost, unspent despite skills shortages. We need a fresh approach to ensure everyone has opportunities, businesses have the right skills, and our economy thrives,” it reads.
“We therefore support Labour’s plans for a Skills and Growth levy to both protect apprenticeship funds and give us the flexibility we need for workforce training. Criticisms of such flexibility, which claim it will lead to fewer training opportunities are way off the mark.”
