Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Defence Manufacturing: Employment

Monday 19 February 2024 · 2 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministry of Defence spent 25 billion with UK industry in 2022-23, supporting 209,000 jobs, including 47,000 in manufacturing.
  • Companies in Laurence Robertson's Tewkesbury constituency face difficulties attracting young people for engineering jobs.
  • Last year's defence Command Paper identified skills shortage, including in engineering, digital, cyber, STEM, and nuclear fields, as a priority.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Laurence Robertson Con
Defence Employment
Context

The MP is seeking an assessment of employment levels in the defence manufacturing sector over the next year. This inquiry follows concerns about workforce sustainability and economic impact.

Question

What assessment he has made of trends in levels of employment in the defence manufacturing sector in the next 12 months?

Answer from James Cartlidge

In 2022-23, the Ministry of Defence spent £25 billion with UK industry. The most recent estimate shows that this supported 209,000 jobs across the country, of which 47,000 were in manufacturing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer provided general information about employment figures but did not address trends or forecasts for the next 12 months as specifically asked.

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Q2 Laurence Robertson Con
Education Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP's constituency includes aerospace manufacturing companies that face challenges in attracting young people to engineering roles. This question aims to seek government support for encouraging young people into these careers.

Question

My Tewkesbury constituency contains a lot of aerospace manufacturing, particularly for the defence sectors, but those companies have long complained to me that they cannot attract enough young people, particularly to take engineering jobs. The all-party parliamentary group on aerospace, which I co-chair, has the objective of enticing young people to go into engineering or at least consider it as a career. Will the Government do anything more to persuade young people to consider taking up the engineering opportunities that are there?

Answer from James Cartlidge

My hon. Friend asks an excellent question. It helps that we have lots of school groups and young people in the Gallery today, it being half term. I can confirm that last year's defence Command Paper identified skills as a priority, including the shortage of engineering, digital, cyber, STEM, nuclear, and space-based skills. The defence head of profession for engineering, who also supports the Government science and engineering head of profession, has a defence youth engagement strategy that drives STEM outreach activities and the encouragement of engineering uptake in individuals aged four to 14.

Answered
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