Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with employer representatives regarding barriers that prevent businesses from offering apprenticeships, and what support is being put in place to address them.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government engages regularly with employers and their representative organisations to understand and address barriers to offering apprenticeships, as well as to inform the ongoing development of the growth and skills offer.
In addition, Skills England engaged with over 700 employers and other key organisations between November and December 2024 to establish initial views on what priority training should be accessible through the growth and skills offer. It summarised the findings of this analysis and engagement in its Skills for Growth and Opportunity report published in June.
To deliver the greater flexibility which employers have called for, this government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer. In August we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. From April 2026, we will introduce new short courses as part of the growth and skills offer in critical skills areas such as artificial intelligence, digital and engineering. Further detail on the offer will be set out in due course.
Additionally, from the next academic year, the government will fully fund apprenticeships for non-levy paying employers, essentially small and medium sized enterprises, for all eligible people aged under 25. This change will make it easier for smaller employers to engage with apprenticeships by cutting costs and reducing bureaucracy for both them and their training providers.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of young people entering high-quality apprenticeships, particularly in places with historically low participation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer that will give greater flexibility to employers and support young people at the beginning of their careers.
In August, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. They are underpinned by additional funding for employers of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career.
More recently, we have announced our ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and backed this with an additional £725 million of investment. This will enable us to expand foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people. It also provides £140 million to pilot new approaches, with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, to better connect young people aged 16–24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities.
In addition, from the next academic year, the government will fully fund apprenticeships for non-levy paying employers (essentially small and medium sized enterprises) for all eligible people aged under 25. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. This change will make it easier for those employers to engage with apprenticeships by cutting costs and reducing bureaucracy for both them and their training providers.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care. Additionally, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the funding available for apprenticeship training, so that small and medium-sized enterprises can take on more apprentices.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer that will give greater flexibility to employers and support young people at the beginning of their careers.
In August, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. They are underpinned by additional funding for employers of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career.
More recently, we have announced our ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and backed this with an additional £725 million of investment. This will enable us to expand foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people. It also provides £140 million to pilot new approaches, with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, to better connect young people aged 16–24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities.
In addition, from the next academic year, the government will fully fund apprenticeships for non-levy paying employers (essentially small and medium sized enterprises) for all eligible people aged under 25. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care. This change will make it easier for those employers to engage with apprenticeships by cutting costs and reducing bureaucracy for both them and their training providers.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care. Additionally, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of current apprenticeship standards in meeting the UK’s future workforce needs in the digital and green industries.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
One of Skills England’s priorities is co-creating and refining a set of education and training products with employers and other partners, including occupational standards, apprenticeships and technical qualifications. Skills England is working with employers and other experts as well as analysing data to ensure apprenticeships and technical qualifications meet the needs of the current and future workforce.
Apprenticeships and technical education in the digital route play a crucial role in developing the next generation of skilled tech professionals, equipping them with the technical expertise and practical experience needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Skills England have approved 34 digital apprenticeship standards representing a range of technical roles (e.g. digital support, network and telecoms, cyber, software design and development, data and AI) and unlike most occupations, they underpin a range of industries and employment sectors.
Skills England also has regular meetings with other government departments including DESNZ and DWP to ensure technical education supports Industrial Strategy priority sectors such as Digital and Clean Energy in order to drive growth.
The government’s Clean Energy Superpower mission includes challenging targets to provide lower cost, clean, secure power, with good jobs. The government published a Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan in June and a Clean Energy Jobs Plan in October. These documents set out how the government will contribute to the skills pipeline by making sure skills gaps in green industries are filled through a package of recruitment and training.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the affordability of homes on new housing developments for first-time buyers.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. This Government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own.
The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. That is why the government committed to deliver 1.5m homes over the Parliament in the Plan for Change.
In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, we are committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme meaning first-time buyers will be able to take their crucial first step on to the property ladder.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of social homes built each year.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 31737 on 27 February 2025.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the housing needs of rural communities, particularly in regard to land availability and infrastructure.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is for local planning authorities, including those in rural areas, to assess the housing need of their communities. This should be informed by a local housing need assessment, conducted using the government’s revised standard method.
Local authorities should also make an assessment of the amount of new homes that can be provided in an area, which should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development, and any other relevant matters.
The revised NPPF is clear that in rural areas, planning policies and decisions should be responsive to local circumstances. This includes ensuring that housing is located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and support local services.
In relation to infrastructure provision to support housing, I refer the noble Lord to the answer to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that new housing developments meet sustainability and energy efficiency standards set in the Environment Act 2021.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Environment Act introduced a new mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement of 10% for new housing developments last year. This means new housing developments will result in more high quality natural habitat than there was before the development. The government is working closely with the sector to make BNG work effectively.
The government is also taking steps to ensure new housing developments meet ambitious energy efficiency standards through the Building Regulations. The Future Homes Standard is due to be implemented later this year, which will ensure that new homes are highly energy efficient and that they are “zero carbon ready”, meaning that they will become zero carbon over time as the electricity grid decarbonises, without the need for any retrofit work.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve infrastructure around new housing developments to support growing populations.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.
Asked by: Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to streamline planning regulations to expedite house building.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is delivering on our Plan for Change commitment to deliver a pro-growth planning system. In December 2024 we published a revised national planning policy framework, which strengthened housing targets and allowed for development on poor quality ‘grey belt’ land. The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill will also speed up and streamline the planning process to build more homes of all tenures and accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects, aligning with our industrial, energy and transport strategies.