Colleges fear being squeezed out of the expansion of apprenticeships if the government pushes ahead with proposals to give greater ownership of the programme to employers.

Leaders in the sector have warned that the move could jeopardise the standard of training, with many small and medium-sized enterprises unable to provide sufficient quality assurance.

The pledge to create 3 million new apprenticeships, first announced last autumn, was a key pillar of the Conservative Party’s education plans.

But the Tory manifesto also promised to require more employer accreditation of courses, prompting concerns that colleges could be asked to play a subsidiary role in the future.

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