A new government bill would provide small business employees with increased access to training programmes.

The apprenticeships, skills, children and learning bill will give all suitably qualified young people a legal right to on-the-job development.

If the bill becomes law it would be the biggest change to apprenticeship legislation in modern times.

"This new bill will put in place new rights so that at whatever stage you are in life, you can continue to improve your skills and get training to improve your career prospects," said John Denham, skills secretary.

The government has recently announced that it will fund an additional 35,000 apprentices next year, at a cost of £140m to add to the £1bn already pledged to these schemes.