Rushanara Ali MP has called on the Government to support young apprentices from the most deprived areas of the country. With around 625,00 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 unemployed in the United Kingdom, Rushanara called on the government to maintain funding of the 'disadvantaged uplift' program that sees some of the poorest receive additional funding.

The Bethnal Green and Bow MP represents a constituency with youth unemployment higher than the London average. She used an intervention in the House of Commons on Monday morning, to challenge the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening to reassure many of those eager to get an apprenticeship in the future.

Despite a recent Government U-turn on apprenticeship funding, analysis by FE Week of the changing funding rates shows that children's care, learning and development, hospitality and catering apprenticeships will all fall by around thirty to forty percent. This means that even after a Government U-turn on funding, nine out of the ten of the most popular apprenticeships still face cuts ranging from 14 to 51 percent.  

Rushanara said:

"The Government's proposed apprenticeship funding changes on deprived areas is of great concern across this house, given that some 625,000 young people between 16 – 24 remain unemployed. Can the Secretary of State explain what's going to happen to the disadvantaged uplift after one year and provide an assurance to this house that it will be maintained in the long term?"

After speaking in the chamber, Rushanara said, "Apprenticeships are so important for helping young people get into employment. The Government must make sure that apprenticeships remain open and accessible for all young people, especially those from some of the most deprived areas."