MINISTER for Business, Enterprise and Energy Matthew Hancock revealed the government may raise the minimum wage for apprenticeships during a visit to Kidlington today.

Mr Hancock, who was visiting to mark National Apprenticeship Week, said: “We introduced the apprenticeship minimum wage, so that’s a step forward, and we’ve consistently put it up.

“We’re looking now as to whether to align it with the main youth rate, which is about just under a pound more.”

The minister was responding to criticism that the hourly rate for apprenticeships, which starts from just £2.73 an hour, is too low.

He watched bricklaying and carpentry apprentices at ACE Training in Kidlington trade places with hair stylist apprentices from IntroTrain in Osney Mead under the ApprenticeSWAP scheme.

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