Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Technology Sector: Skills Shortages

Wednesday 14 June 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister states working across Government with educators and employers to address technology sector skills shortages.
  • Minister defends apprenticeship levy, stating Government works with employers to ensure it meets business needs.
  • Discussions occur regularly with Department for Education, Work and Pensions, tech sectors, and academia on talent issues.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Bill Esterson Lab Sefton Central
Immigration Education Business & Trade
Context

The question addresses the issue of skills shortages in the tech sector and seeks specific actions taken by the government to address this.

Question

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle skills shortages in the technology sector?

Answer from Paul Scully

We know that digital skills are a vital building block for developing the workforce of the future, so we are working across Government with educators and employers to grow the pipeline of individuals entering the digital sector. Steps include launching the Digital Skills Council, introducing AI and data science conversion courses, creating new visa routes to attract international tech talent, and investing up to £150 million in skills bootcamps for subjects like software engineering.

Answered
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Q2 Bill Esterson Lab Sefton Central
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The question highlights the issue of returned apprenticeship levy funding and Labour's proposed growth and skills levy to address skill shortages.

Question

In contrast to what the Minister says, more than £600 million of apprenticeship levy funding has been returned to the Treasury in the last year alone. Labour will reform the system to create a growth and skills levy that can be used on a wider range of training needed by businesses. Will the Government address the chronic shortage of skills?

Answer from Paul Scully

We are already acting in that space and work with employers to ensure the apprenticeship levy works effectively for what businesses need.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Reform the system to match Labour's ambition for addressing skill shortages

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Q3 Simon Fell
Defence Employment
Context

The question focuses on the skills shortage within the submarine construction programme in Barrow, highlighting local initiatives and international collaboration.

Question

The submarine programme in Barrow will deliver thousands of jobs and generations of work but we are struggling to grow our own. We have Furness STEM and UlverSTEM which do good work, but this is an international endeavour with AUKUS and a national endeavour with Dreadnought. What discussions has the Minister had across Government about how we lean in to that skills challenge?

Answer from Paul Scully

We talk regularly with the Department for Education, Work and Pensions colleagues, tech sectors, and academia to ensure we get it right in terms of domestic and international talent.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific discussions on addressing the skills challenge for the submarine programme

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