Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to prioritise Skills Bootcamp funding for areas with demand for engineering and technical skills.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with our commitment to devolution; supporting areas to use Skills Bootcamps to more closely meet the needs of their local employers and economies.
As part of this, a new funding model for local areas from 2026-27 will ensure the distribution of funding remains fit for purpose and sustainable as the programme matures.
Under devolution, local areas are the commissioners of Skills Bootcamps and can plan provision according to local skills priorities. They are responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of funding to individual providers in line with their preferred commissioning method.
We will continue to work with local areas on the implementation of the new funding methodology.
The latest published data on Skills Bootcamps completions and outcomes by sector is available here Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps - 2022 to 2023 (Wave 3) completions and outcomes report.
The department does not publish estimates of Skills Bootcamps starts.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), an arm’s length body of the Department for Work and Pensions, is also supporting training and skills development for the Hinkley Point C projects. This includes investing in training programmes to support young and adult learners into employment with EDF and its supply chain, such as the ECITB scholarship which is providing training to 16-18 years olds in welding and pipefitting.
The ECITB is also supporting the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme (HSO). By the end of 2026, ECITB’s support for the HSO programme over the past three years is projected to total more than £1.25 million, enabling more than 1100 learners to complete the course.
The ECITB has invested in £460,000 in state-of-the-art training rigs and £300,000 to support the capital costs of Centres of Excellence for mechanical and electrical training in the Somerset area.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the role of Skills Bootcamps in enabling workers from construction trades to retrain into mechanical, electrical and HVAC roles.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with our commitment to devolution; supporting areas to use Skills Bootcamps to more closely meet the needs of their local employers and economies.
As part of this, a new funding model for local areas from 2026-27 will ensure the distribution of funding remains fit for purpose and sustainable as the programme matures.
Under devolution, local areas are the commissioners of Skills Bootcamps and can plan provision according to local skills priorities. They are responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of funding to individual providers in line with their preferred commissioning method.
We will continue to work with local areas on the implementation of the new funding methodology.
The latest published data on Skills Bootcamps completions and outcomes by sector is available here Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps - 2022 to 2023 (Wave 3) completions and outcomes report.
The department does not publish estimates of Skills Bootcamps starts.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), an arm’s length body of the Department for Work and Pensions, is also supporting training and skills development for the Hinkley Point C projects. This includes investing in training programmes to support young and adult learners into employment with EDF and its supply chain, such as the ECITB scholarship which is providing training to 16-18 years olds in welding and pipefitting.
The ECITB is also supporting the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme (HSO). By the end of 2026, ECITB’s support for the HSO programme over the past three years is projected to total more than £1.25 million, enabling more than 1100 learners to complete the course.
The ECITB has invested in £460,000 in state-of-the-art training rigs and £300,000 to support the capital costs of Centres of Excellence for mechanical and electrical training in the Somerset area.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people expected to enrol in Skills Bootcamps in Somerset in 2025–26.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with our commitment to devolution; supporting areas to use Skills Bootcamps to more closely meet the needs of their local employers and economies.
As part of this, a new funding model for local areas from 2026-27 will ensure the distribution of funding remains fit for purpose and sustainable as the programme matures.
Under devolution, local areas are the commissioners of Skills Bootcamps and can plan provision according to local skills priorities. They are responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of funding to individual providers in line with their preferred commissioning method.
We will continue to work with local areas on the implementation of the new funding methodology.
The latest published data on Skills Bootcamps completions and outcomes by sector is available here Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps - 2022 to 2023 (Wave 3) completions and outcomes report.
The department does not publish estimates of Skills Bootcamps starts.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), an arm’s length body of the Department for Work and Pensions, is also supporting training and skills development for the Hinkley Point C projects. This includes investing in training programmes to support young and adult learners into employment with EDF and its supply chain, such as the ECITB scholarship which is providing training to 16-18 years olds in welding and pipefitting.
The ECITB is also supporting the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme (HSO). By the end of 2026, ECITB’s support for the HSO programme over the past three years is projected to total more than £1.25 million, enabling more than 1100 learners to complete the course.
The ECITB has invested in £460,000 in state-of-the-art training rigs and £300,000 to support the capital costs of Centres of Excellence for mechanical and electrical training in the Somerset area.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on progression from Skills Bootcamps into employment in the (a) nuclear and (b) energy sectors.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with our commitment to devolution; supporting areas to use Skills Bootcamps to more closely meet the needs of their local employers and economies.
As part of this, a new funding model for local areas from 2026-27 will ensure the distribution of funding remains fit for purpose and sustainable as the programme matures.
Under devolution, local areas are the commissioners of Skills Bootcamps and can plan provision according to local skills priorities. They are responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of funding to individual providers in line with their preferred commissioning method.
We will continue to work with local areas on the implementation of the new funding methodology.
The latest published data on Skills Bootcamps completions and outcomes by sector is available here Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps - 2022 to 2023 (Wave 3) completions and outcomes report.
The department does not publish estimates of Skills Bootcamps starts.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), an arm’s length body of the Department for Work and Pensions, is also supporting training and skills development for the Hinkley Point C projects. This includes investing in training programmes to support young and adult learners into employment with EDF and its supply chain, such as the ECITB scholarship which is providing training to 16-18 years olds in welding and pipefitting.
The ECITB is also supporting the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme (HSO). By the end of 2026, ECITB’s support for the HSO programme over the past three years is projected to total more than £1.25 million, enabling more than 1100 learners to complete the course.
The ECITB has invested in £460,000 in state-of-the-art training rigs and £300,000 to support the capital costs of Centres of Excellence for mechanical and electrical training in the Somerset area.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in Skills Bootcamp funding on the supply of skilled workers required for major infrastructure projects, including Hinkley Point C.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are giving local areas greater control of the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in line with our commitment to devolution; supporting areas to use Skills Bootcamps to more closely meet the needs of their local employers and economies.
As part of this, a new funding model for local areas from 2026-27 will ensure the distribution of funding remains fit for purpose and sustainable as the programme matures.
Under devolution, local areas are the commissioners of Skills Bootcamps and can plan provision according to local skills priorities. They are responsible for decisions relating to the allocation of funding to individual providers in line with their preferred commissioning method.
We will continue to work with local areas on the implementation of the new funding methodology.
The latest published data on Skills Bootcamps completions and outcomes by sector is available here Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps - 2022 to 2023 (Wave 3) completions and outcomes report.
The department does not publish estimates of Skills Bootcamps starts.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), an arm’s length body of the Department for Work and Pensions, is also supporting training and skills development for the Hinkley Point C projects. This includes investing in training programmes to support young and adult learners into employment with EDF and its supply chain, such as the ECITB scholarship which is providing training to 16-18 years olds in welding and pipefitting.
The ECITB is also supporting the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme (HSO). By the end of 2026, ECITB’s support for the HSO programme over the past three years is projected to total more than £1.25 million, enabling more than 1100 learners to complete the course.
The ECITB has invested in £460,000 in state-of-the-art training rigs and £300,000 to support the capital costs of Centres of Excellence for mechanical and electrical training in the Somerset area.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on ensuring sufficient skilled labour supply for the UK nuclear new-build programme.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The DWP works closely with DESNZ on a range of clean energy and net zero workforce priorities including nuclear. This includes contributing labour market insight and employer engagement expertise to DESNZ’s work on the Clean Jobs Employer Handbook, which is being developed to help employers recruit into green and net zero roles. This partnership is underpinned by a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on 8 December 2025, which sets out shared commitments to improve access to clean energy careers, strengthen inclusive recruitment pathways and support workforce growth across key green sectors.
DWP also supports wider cross government activity on clean energy skills, providing input to DESNZ led workshops and discussions on future workforce needs linked to growth in the clean energy sector which includes nuclear. In addition, DWP responds to DESNZ policy write rounds, ensuring departmental alignment on emerging energy and regulatory issues. Together, this joint working strengthens understanding of future skills demand and ensures employment support and employer engagement activity is closely aligned with the UK’s clean energy and net zero ambitions.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.
If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.
Published data on office attendance is available on Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data.
Should disciplinary action be taken, the sanctions will be the standard disciplinary outcomes, which are a first written warning, final written warning and ultimately dismissal.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
All DWP staff have access to flexible working options where appropriate to their role. This may include flexibility around start and finish times, compressed hours, or remote working. We do not have data on the number of staff who are unable to or choose not to take advantage of any form of flexibility.
In June 2025, 2.8% of staff were working compressed hours.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on raising the level of the personal tax-free allowance in line with the basic state pension.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The DWP Secretary of State engages regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As the Minister for Pensions, I also serve as a Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury. Currently the Personal Allowance, which is the amount an individual can earn before paying tax, is higher than the full rates of both the basic and new State Pensions. This means pensioners whose income is solely the full new State Pension or basic State Pension will not pay any income tax.
The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. At our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds.
Under the previous Government the vast majority of pensioners already pay Income Tax. When individuals’ wider income was taken into account in 2022/23 over 80% of pensioners had an income over the Personal Allowance Tax Threshold.
This Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
Over 12 million pensioners will benefit from our commitment to protect the Triple Lock which is set to increase spending on the State Pension by around £31 billion and will increase people’s yearly State Pensions by up to £1,900 this Parliament.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department currently has a formal digital desk booking tool - in a limited number of locations - which allows colleagues to book a desk in advance of attending the office, if they wish to do so. However, there is no requirement for colleagues to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person. There is no formal desk booking tool in place at the remaining DWP locations.
The Department’s ALBs have their own procedures for booking a desk: