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year thousands of 16 to18-year-olds make the decision not to go to university because they have chosen to start a career through an apprenticeship. Able young men and women who choose to take up an apprenticeship in craft, technical and business skills are learning on the job and earning a wage, rather than building up debts. Electro-technical apprenticeships I mentioned earlier


Mark Prisk begins a week of ‘work experience’ at DIY Kyoto – which makes wireless electricity monitors – in London’s Bethnal Green


remain very popular, with nearly 6,000 people starting an apprenticeship last year. And there is a similar pattern in engineering, IT, telecoms, business and management – able young people choosing the work-based route rather than higher education.


ECA T


oday: George Osborne stated in the June


Emergency Budget that he felt the previous Conservative government made a mistake in the last recession in the early 1990, by cutting capital spending too heavily.


In recovering from this recession, a


reduction in infrastructure spending will have a direct and immediate effect on the electrical industry and the wider construction sector. In light of the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, what measures will the government take to help secure the future of SMEs and larger companies in the industry?


Mark Prisk: We are focusing on creating the right business environment. Creating the conditions for businesses in all sectors to start out, invest, grow and be profitable is critical. Getting rid of unnecessary barriers that can stifle growth,


is key. For example, the government will slash red tape to free business from the burden of bureaucracy and create a more competitive tax regime. But creating the right business environment also involves investing in the infrastructure necessary to underpin our competitiveness. So, as far as is prudent, we are protecting capital investment in order to ensure that projects of lasting economic value are funded. That includes:


n £10 billion over the spending review period on maintenance and investment in new high value road, regional and local transport scheme;


n More than £14 billion provided to Network Rail; n Making funding available to Crossrail for it to go ahead,


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