GRAY’S FANTASY FIGURES 30 TIMES UK APPRENTICES .

GRAY’S FANTASY FIGURES 30 TIMES UK APPRENTICES.

SCOTLAND OFFERS MORE TRAINING

Labour leader Iain Gray’s claim that there are 7.5 million apprenticeships in England is over 30 times higher than the number of proposed apprenticeships revealed by the UK Government only last week and over 2.5 million above the number of people in any kind of training place in England.

Discussing apprenticeship places with the First Minister Iain Gray said;

"The equivalent number south of the border is 7.5 million - a far higher rate,"

In fact – an announcement by Gordon Brown only last week admitted that the UK Government’s ambition for next year was to have 250,000 apprentices – 30 times fewer than those claimed by Iain Gray.

In addition figures published by the UK Government in December 2008 show that all those over the age of 16 and in training schemes comes to fewer than 5 million.

SNP MSP Alex Neil today said;

“We know Labour used to make up policies on the back of cigarette packets – now it looks like they make their numbers up too.

“I hope Iain Gray has told his London leaders they now have to provide 30 times more apprenticeships than they are planning on, or that every 18 to 25 year old in England must be in training.

“In fact training places for young people and adults in England come to no more than 5 million.

“Instead of 7.5 million training places, there are fewer places for apprentices and skills seekers in England than there are in Scotland.

“The First Minister made clear today that the Scottish Government is increasing the number of training places to 50,000 in the next three years. In addition the Scottish Government’s took action last year to make sure that apprenticeships are available in the skills Scotland needs. That’s why we have a new apprenticeship in life sciences and have increased modern apprenticeships in Engineering and Construction for young people by 1000.”

“With figures like these it’s no wonder Labour have left the economy in such a mess.”