Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following Historic England's report Skills Needs Analysis for the Repair, Maintenance and Retrofit of Traditional (Pre-1919) Buildings in England, 2024 published on 13 September 2024, what plans they have for funding specialist tutors to train and mentor construction trainees, including through microbusinesses, to help them gain experience in relevant, regionally specific building techniques.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The department supports vocational education and training programs that include repair, maintenance and retrofit skills. This includes funding for courses at further education (FE) colleges and specialist training providers.

A wide range of government-funded programmes are available for construction employers who are considering hiring employees, offering work experience or upskilling existing staff. These include apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and Higher Technical Qualifications.

Together with employers, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has developed 90 Apprenticeship standards in the Construction and Built Environment Sector. These apprenticeships provide hands-on experience and formal qualifications in retrofit, such as Heritage Construction Specialist. The department will continue to work with employers to support the growth of apprenticeships in these sectors and IfATE have published occupational maps on their website which display the apprenticeship progression opportunities in each occupation, including in heritage conservation, and construction. The occupational maps can be accessed on IfATE‘s website at: https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/. These also specify if the occupation is embedded within the green occupational landscape and deliver sustainable outcomes.

Whilst i​t is a matter for providers to determine course content and the specialist teaching staff they need to deliver in all their provision, the department is supporting FE colleges to recruit and retain more construction FE teachers through the Taking Teacher Further programme, and the targeted retention incentive offer. In addition, we are exploring what more can be done to support dual professionals to work in FE, an approach whereby colleges recruit industry workers as part-time teachers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following Historic England's report Skills Needs Analysis for the Repair, Maintenance and Retrofit of Traditional (Pre-1919) Buildings in England, 2024 published on 13 September 2024, what plans they have for including energy efficiency adaptations to traditionally built housing stock in construction training and qualifications.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The department supports vocational education and training programs that include repair, maintenance and retrofit skills. This includes funding for courses at further education (FE) colleges and specialist training providers.

A wide range of government-funded programmes are available for construction employers who are considering hiring employees, offering work experience or upskilling existing staff. These include apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and Higher Technical Qualifications.

Together with employers, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has developed 90 Apprenticeship standards in the Construction and Built Environment Sector. These apprenticeships provide hands-on experience and formal qualifications in retrofit, such as Heritage Construction Specialist. The department will continue to work with employers to support the growth of apprenticeships in these sectors and IfATE have published occupational maps on their website which display the apprenticeship progression opportunities in each occupation, including in heritage conservation, and construction. The occupational maps can be accessed on IfATE‘s website at: https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/. These also specify if the occupation is embedded within the green occupational landscape and deliver sustainable outcomes.

Whilst i​t is a matter for providers to determine course content and the specialist teaching staff they need to deliver in all their provision, the department is supporting FE colleges to recruit and retain more construction FE teachers through the Taking Teacher Further programme, and the targeted retention incentive offer. In addition, we are exploring what more can be done to support dual professionals to work in FE, an approach whereby colleges recruit industry workers as part-time teachers.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incorporate requirements for bird-safe designs, such as fritted or UV-reflective glass, into future building design legislation.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Whilst there are no current plans on requirements for fritted or UV glass, our revised National Planning Policy Framework expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs. The National Design Guide, National Model Design Code and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework set out how development can incorporate a range of nature friendly features including swift bricks.

The Building Regulations are designed to protect human safety by ensuring buildings are structurally sound, fire-resistant, and meet health and accessibility standards. They are not designed to directly address animal welfare.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the risks to animal health posed by the H5N1 influenza virus, what resources they have committed to teams responsible for delivering the UK Biological Security Strategy, and how they plan to ensure that there is adequate staffing and funding to meet the strategy's objectives.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy (BSS) sets out that biological threats are more likely, diverse and interconnected. The current avian influenza outbreak is an example of the risks we face from zoonotic diseases. The BSS takes a One Health and National Security approach. There are robust structures in place across government to ensure its implementation - including a lead Minister, a central team in the Cabinet Office to drive delivery, and clear departmental accountabilities. DEFRA is the lead government department for avian Influenza.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization, what plans they have to ensure sufficient long-term resources for the National Biosurveillance Network to enhance the UK’s early warning systems and improve the biosurveillance evidence available for policy decisions.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Enhancing the UK’s early warning capabilities, including through scoping a National Biosurveillance Network (NBN), was a commitment in the 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy - adopted by this Government in October 2024. The Government will work to ensure that it has the capabilities it needs to protect the public from a spectrum of biological threats. Decisions on funding for future years will be made as part of the ongoing comprehensive Spending Review.

Found: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (The Chair); Lord Farmer; Baroness Featherstone; Lord Fink; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (The Chair); Lord Farmer; Baroness Featherstone; Lord Fink; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Lord Fink Shares in Alphabet, BT, Microsoft, Shaftsbury Capital and Land Securities Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: After Clause 2 BARONESS BENNETT OF MANOR CASTLE BARONESS FREEMAN OF STEVENTON BARONESS SMITH OF LLANFAES

Found: After Clause 2 BARONESS BENNETT OF MANOR CASTLE BARONESS FREEMAN OF STEVENTON BARONESS SMITH OF LLANFAES

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