That the Parliament notes with concern reports that the budget for training providers delivering apprenticeship programmes has been frozen; considers that this freeze constitutes a real-terms cut, given the inflation rate has recently risen to as high as 10.1%; notes the Scottish Training Federation’s reported comments that this budget freeze means many training providers will have to make redundancies or close their businesses, without intervention by the Scottish Government; believes that these closures would result in many young people not completing their apprenticeships on schedule, including in the West Scotland region; understands that there is high demand for apprenticeship places; notes the view that creating new work opportunities for young people should be central to Scotland’s economic recovery, and further notes the calls on the Scottish Government to come forward with funding to ensure that a further 2,000 apprenticeships are funded in the next six months to meet what it understands is significant employer demand.