WHILE it is pleasing that since 2010 more than 3,100 young people in Keighley have started apprenticeships – Keighley’s jobless total falls again (Keighley News, December 25) – Kris Hopkins MP fails to mention small and medium-sized businesses can get grants of £1,500 for each apprentice they take on.

In the year to April 2014, 440,000 people in Britain started apprenticeships at a cost to the taxpayer of £66 million.

This would be reasonable if apprentices were paid at least the minimum wage. Unfortunately, according to Government research published shortly before the Parliamentary recess, some employers are not paying their apprentices minimum wage.

Fifteen per cent are paid below the appropriate minimum wage, while younger apprentices are paid considerably less than minimum wage.

This means apprentices who do not live with their parents and do not have access to ‘the bank of mum and dad’ are reliant on in-work benefits and/or charities.

This situation is not going to help reduce the national deficit to a great extent.

Paying apprentices the appropriate minimum wage would remove their reliance on the benefit system and this would help to reduce the deficit.

PAMELA SPENCER-CAIRNS

Keighley