Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Post-16 Skills Education

Monday 8 December 2025 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Michelle Scrogham asked about the benefits of apprenticeships for young people in Barrow and Furness, to which the Minister agreed and highlighted the Government's investment in apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises.
  • Perran Moon inquired about the skills funding for Cornwall's renewable energy and critical minerals sector, receiving assurance that the Government published a clean energy jobs plan in October to address the need for skilled workers.
  • Liz Jarvis raised concerns about adequate funding for training providers supporting apprentices in small and medium-sized enterprises, to which the Minister assured her of 725 million in additional support for the growth and skills levy.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michelle Scrogham Lab Barrow and Furness
Education Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP highlighted the neglect of post-16 education in her constituency over 14 years, emphasizing the importance of supporting local economy through apprenticeships.

Question

After 14 years of neglect, young people in Barrow and Furness are going to benefit from this Government’s commitment to supporting the apprenticeships that will drive our local economy. Does the Minister agree that Labour’s unprecedented investment in skills shows just how serious this Government’s commitment is to driving opportunity in communities like mine?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

I strongly agree with her on the first question, because this package of investment will fund new measures to support apprenticeships for young people, including by fully funding apprenticeships at small and medium-sized enterprises for eligible people aged 16 to 24 to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people, starting from the next academic year. We are working with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education to deliver the £182 million defence skills package aimed at harnessing the skills needed for the future and meeting the needs of people at various stages in their training and career pathways.

Answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not directly address the suggestion about Barrow-in-Furness being a location for new defence technical excellence colleges, noting there is considerable expertise but avoiding direct commitment.

How: Will Not Be Drawn Directly On Her Question

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Q2 Perran Moon Lab Camborne and Redruth
Education Economy Climate
Context

The MP highlighted Cornwall's strategic importance in renewable energy and critical minerals, but noted a shortage of places at further education colleges.

Question

Cornwall has been identified as a strategically important region for renewable energy and critical minerals, but we currently have a worrying shortage of places at our outstanding further education colleges. Can the Minister reassure me that the necessary skills funding will be made available to support these growth industries in an area of high social deprivation that was neglected by the Conservatives for 14 years?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that we published our clean energy jobs plan in October, which set out how we will deliver the pipeline of skilled workers that the sector needs. The plan includes five technical excellence colleges that will specialise in training skilled clean energy workforces as part of a £182 million investment to support engineering skills in clean energy occupations and other priority sectors.

Answered
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Q3 Liz Jarvis Lib Dem Eastleigh
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP cited a local SME, GW Martin, in her constituency welcoming additional support for apprenticeship training but expressing concern over adequate training provider funding.

Question

Stuart, the managing director of GW Martin—a precision engineering manufacturing firm based in my constituency—welcomes the additional support for apprentice training in small and medium-sized enterprises, but asks that the Government ensure that training providers will receive adequate funding to strengthen the training available. Can the Minister assure Stuart that fantastic SMEs such as GW Martin will be supported so that they can employ more young people from Eastleigh and give them meaningful opportunities to start their careers?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

I can give the hon. Lady that clear assurance, using two specific examples of the work the Government are doing. First, we have provided £725 million of additional support for the delivery of the growth and skills levy in the Budget. Secondly—the specifically to the hon. Lady’s question—the delivery of apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises will be fully funded for young people moving forward.

Answered
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Q4 Sarah Dyke Lib Dem Glastonbury and Somerton
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP highlighted the national food strategy's identification of a skills shortage in food and farming, proposing a “Farm First” scheme for training.

Question

As was identified in the national food strategy, there is a shortage of skills in food and farming. The Liberal Democrats are proposing a “Farm First” scheme to give young people training and the incentive they need to choose a career in farming. Will the Minister outline the steps the Government are taking to create pathways to increase the number of post-16 learners who undertake training in food and farming?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Western)

The hon. Lady will recognise the significant investment that this Government have put into agriculture more broadly since coming into office. I am not aware of the “Farm First” scheme, but if she would like to write to me about it, I would be happy to meet to discuss it further.

Answered

How: Not Aware Of The “Farm First” Scheme

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