Just found this on the directgov website:
The apprentice minimum wage is currently £2.60 per hour and applies to time working, plus time spent training that is part of the Apprenticeship. Employers are be free to pay above the new wage and many do so, but employers must ensure that they are paying their apprentices at least the minimum wage.
The National Apprenticeship Service will provide up to 40,000 Apprenticeship grants to smallmedium sized employers recruiting 16 to 24 year olds with a value of £1,500 to encourage new employers to take on new apprentices.
Looking more and more appealing!!