THE numbers of people starting apprenticeship schemes has fallen.

New figures from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills show that 390 new apprenticeships were started by people in Harrow East during 2013/4 – down 10 per cent from the previous year.

In Harrow West meanwhile, a total of 380 new apprenticeships were started in the constituency in 2013/4 – down 16 per cent from the previous 12 months.

However provisional results from August 2015 to January 2016 show that already 210 people from both constituencies have signed onto new apprenticeship programmes.

In total more than 6,000 new people have taken part in the apprenticeships programme in the two constituencies since 2010 – although both Harrow East and West saw a drop in numbers in 2013/4 from 2012/3.