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MPs have slammed the government鈥檚 鈥渂lunt and arbitrary鈥� target to create three million apprenticeships by the end of the parliament.

A report by MPs on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) committee argued it was 鈥渃ounterintuitive鈥� for the government to set a quantitative target to provide three million apprenticeships, while suggesting the provision of skills must be employer-led.

The report said the design of the government鈥檚 new apprenticeship levy 鈥渕ust recognise that some businesses invest heavily in training and development but have a smaller proportion of apprentices because of a smaller need in that business.鈥�

The BIS committee has slammed the government鈥檚 鈥渁pparent lack of consultation鈥� with industries on its apprenticeships target, and called on it to set out the rationale and evidence base for its three million target.

It also recommends the government consults with firms on the apprenticeship levy to ensure it is 鈥渋mplemented in such a way as to allow sectors to invest in skills through different qualifications and training methods applicable to their specific needs.鈥�

Reacting to the committee鈥檚 report, head of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, Sarah McGonagle, said it reflects the 鈥渨idespread anxiety鈥� within construction that the apprenticeship levy 鈥渋s being implemented without sufficient consultation.鈥�

She added that 鈥渃onstruction SMEs are still in the dark over how the new levy will work alongside the existing CITB levy.

鈥淕iven that the levy is about enabling more apprenticeship training, and in construction it is SMEs that do the vast majority of training, this lack of clarity is distinctly unhelpful.鈥�