SNP EXPOSES LABOUR’S FALSE PROMISES ON APPRENTICES 'APPRENTICESHIP GUARANTEE' CANNOT BE DELIVERED

SNP EXPOSES LABOUR’S FALSE PROMISES ON APPRENTICES
'APPRENTICESHIP GUARANTEE' CANNOT BE DELIVERED

SNP MSP Anne McLaughlin has slammed Labour for making promises they know they can’t deliver about apprenticeships.
In a debate in the Scottish Parliament today, Labour claimed that they would “guarantee” an apprenticeship place for any young person who wants one, something that cannot be delivered.

SNP MSP for Glasgow Ms McLaughlin said:
“This is another false promise from Labour that simply cannot be delivered. They are callously playing havoc with the hopes of young Scots for the sake of crude electioneering.

“Labour know – or should know – that it is impossible to “guarantee” an unlimited supply of apprenticeships without an unlimited supply of workplaces and an unlimited supply of funds to help employers take apprentices on. How do Labour intend to pay for this theoretical guarantee?

“The fact is that Labour’s so-called apprenticeship guarantee is purely hypothetical, an imaginary carrot dangled in front of young voters in order to deliberately mislead them. We can now add apprenticeships to knife crime, concessionary fares and a host of other issues on which Labour are blatantly and consistently trying to deceive the Scottish electorate.

“In contrast, the SNP government is getting on with the job of delivering real apprenticeships and training places for young people across Scotland. Nearly 20,000 people in Scotland have started a Modern Apprenticeship over the past year.

“The SNP created over 130,000 training places in its first two years in government and its Safeguard an Apprentice, Invest in an Apprentice and Adopt an Apprentice schemes are helping businesses in all sectors to take on and train young workers and finding new places for apprentices who have been made redundant as a result of Labour’s recession.

“New Modern Apprenticeships have been created in the life sciences, food and drink and hospitality and tourism sectors, additional funding has been provided to further education colleges and financial support for further education students substantially boosted.

“This is real action by the SNP to provide jobs and training for our young people and invest in the skills and knowledge that will drive Scotland’s future economic success."

ENDS

Notes:

1. Labour claims on apprenticeships were made during a Scottish Parliament debate on a Labour motion on Thursday 22 April.

2. Information about Scottish Government action on apprenticeships can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/03/17101341