Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of investing in alternative and supplementary diagnostic methods for bovine TB, as a means of reducing reliance on the single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) skin test; and what steps she is taking to standardise the administration and interpretation of the SICCT test, including the calibration and pressure applied by callipers used to measure skin reactions, across veterinary practitioners.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The SICCT test is the internationally accepted standard for detecting TB infected cattle and is the cornerstone of bovine TB control in Great Britain. This is often supplemented in TB breakdown herds by the interferon-gamma and TB antibody blood tests.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency supports consistency in the administration and interpretation of the SICCT test through standardised instructions, training and competency requirements, regular revalidation, and quality assurance.

The Government funds research into improved TB diagnostics, including jointly funded research with the Welsh and Scottish Governments exploring use of constant-pressure callipers to improve measurement consistency.

The recommended bovine TB control strategy for England proposes greater flexibility for privately funded supplementary testing. The Government will respond in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when they expect the consultation on banning high-concentration carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs to be launched; and what timetable they envisage for the phasing out of this practice.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we will consult on banning carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs and on possible timescales for phasing out this method. Further details will be set out soon.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Department is taking to address skills shortages in the manufacturing sector.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is addressing skills shortages in manufacturing through reforms to technical education, apprenticeships and higher technical skills training. We are strengthening pathways into manufacturing careers through T Levels, Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and apprenticeships, helping people gain the skills employers need.

Engineering and Manufacturing T Levels support young people to progress into skilled employment, higher technical education and apprenticeships, while recent changes to industry placements provide greater flexibility for employers to participate.

We are transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England to give employers greater flexibility to invest in workforce training. In addition, we have announced a £182 million Engineering Skills Package to support skills development in priority sectors, including manufacturing, which includes 4 Technical Excellence Colleges specialising in advanced manufacturing. We continue to work with Skills England, providers and employers to ensure training provision meets evolving sector needs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review section 13 of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865, which requires fire insurers in London to contribute towards the cost of fire and rescue services, and if she will consider extending a modernised version of that funding mechanism to fire and rescue services across the rest of the United Kingdom.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has no current plans to review section 13 of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support capital investment by manufacturing businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

This government wants the UK to be one of the best places in the world to invest, build and grow a business – and that starts with a tax system that is competitive, predictable and stable. This government has maintained the lowest rate of corporate tax in the G7, topped the rankings for OECD countries in terms of capital allowances for plant and machinery due to our generous full expensing offer, and led a flexible and competitive regime for intangible assets.

Through delivery of our 10-year Advanced Manufacturing sector plan, this government also aims to nearly double annual business investment in the advanced manufacturing sector to £39bn by 2035.

That’s why we backed our Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding out to 2030, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D. Alongside this, we have provided a further £2 billion of R&D and capital funding available for automotive from 2030 to 2035 and up to £2.3bn for the UK’s aerospace industry over the 10 year period.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the additional barriers faced by victims of domestic abuse in rural communities compared with those in urban areas.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ we set out the actions this Government is taking to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring support is accessible to all victims, including those living in rural and isolated communities.

A wide range of work is ongoing across government to improve the support for victims in rural areas, including:

• A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the specific challenges faced by victims in rural communities. This will help our wider work to improve support provision and address disparities in access to services.
• Investing in helplines to support victims of domestic abuse, which provide crisis support and advice to victims across England and Wales, regardless of location.
• Investing more than £1 billion over the next three years to support victims. Most of this funding will go to local commissioners, such as local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to commission services tailored to local needs.
• Reforming the commissioning landscape, including through a new cross-government commissioning statement and the forthcoming Duty to Collaborate, to improve the consistency, accessibility and effectiveness of support services for victims. Rurality will be a key consideration within this work.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for specialist domestic abuse services operating in rural areas.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ we set out the actions this Government is taking to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring support is accessible to all victims, including those living in rural and isolated communities.

A wide range of work is ongoing across government to improve the support for victims in rural areas, including:

• A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the specific challenges faced by victims in rural communities. This will help our wider work to improve support provision and address disparities in access to services.
• Investing in helplines to support victims of domestic abuse, which provide crisis support and advice to victims across England and Wales, regardless of location.
• Investing more than £1 billion over the next three years to support victims. Most of this funding will go to local commissioners, such as local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to commission services tailored to local needs.
• Reforming the commissioning landscape, including through a new cross-government commissioning statement and the forthcoming Duty to Collaborate, to improve the consistency, accessibility and effectiveness of support services for victims. Rurality will be a key consideration within this work.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to rural-proof her Department's policies and strategies relating to domestic abuse.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ we set out the actions this Government is taking to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring support is accessible to all victims, including those living in rural and isolated communities.

A wide range of work is ongoing across government to improve the support for victims in rural areas, including:

• A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the specific challenges faced by victims in rural communities. This will help our wider work to improve support provision and address disparities in access to services.
• Investing in helplines to support victims of domestic abuse, which provide crisis support and advice to victims across England and Wales, regardless of location.
• Investing more than £1 billion over the next three years to support victims. Most of this funding will go to local commissioners, such as local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to commission services tailored to local needs.
• Reforming the commissioning landscape, including through a new cross-government commissioning statement and the forthcoming Duty to Collaborate, to improve the consistency, accessibility and effectiveness of support services for victims. Rurality will be a key consideration within this work.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Rural Crime Network's report entitled Captive & Controlled, published in July 2019, what assessment she has made of the finding that domestic abuse lasts, on average, 25 per cent longer in the most rural areas than in urban areas; and what steps she is taking to tackle that disparity.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ we set out the actions this Government is taking to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring support is accessible to all victims, including those living in rural and isolated communities.

A wide range of work is ongoing across government to improve the support for victims in rural areas, including:

• A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the specific challenges faced by victims in rural communities. This will help our wider work to improve support provision and address disparities in access to services.
• Investing in helplines to support victims of domestic abuse, which provide crisis support and advice to victims across England and Wales, regardless of location.
• Investing more than £1 billion over the next three years to support victims. Most of this funding will go to local commissioners, such as local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to commission services tailored to local needs.
• Reforming the commissioning landscape, including through a new cross-government commissioning statement and the forthcoming Duty to Collaborate, to improve the consistency, accessibility and effectiveness of support services for victims. Rurality will be a key consideration within this work.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to domestic abuse support services for people living in rural and isolated communities.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ we set out the actions this Government is taking to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring support is accessible to all victims, including those living in rural and isolated communities.

A wide range of work is ongoing across government to improve the support for victims in rural areas, including:

• A call for evidence by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to better understand the specific challenges faced by victims in rural communities. This will help our wider work to improve support provision and address disparities in access to services.
• Investing in helplines to support victims of domestic abuse, which provide crisis support and advice to victims across England and Wales, regardless of location.
• Investing more than £1 billion over the next three years to support victims. Most of this funding will go to local commissioners, such as local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are best placed to commission services tailored to local needs.
• Reforming the commissioning landscape, including through a new cross-government commissioning statement and the forthcoming Duty to Collaborate, to improve the consistency, accessibility and effectiveness of support services for victims. Rurality will be a key consideration within this work.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the programme for healthy and affordable food on delivering the wider outcomes of the Good Food Cycle.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Good Food Neighbourhoods programme will play a key role in supporting the delivery of wider Good Food Cycle outcomes. Alongside increasing access to healthier and more affordable food, the programme will support resilient supply and the creation of vibrant food cultures. It will also contribute to the manifesto commitment to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2026 to Question 26359 on Iron and Steel: Wales, what information his Department holds on the total value of financial support provided to steel companies and projects in Wales through (a) direct government support and (b) the National Wealth Fund, both in total and separately.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the steel strategy, we are creating a more competitive business environment for steel companies in Wales and across the UK. This Government is investing in the Welsh steel industry with £500m for the transformation of Port Talbot, alongside over £100m for local community transition support. 7 Steel UK (formerly Celsa Steel UK) has been awarded over £20 million in grant funding by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) for several projects to improve energy efficiency while Swansea University will receive £11 million for their new 7-year steel research hub IGNITE.

For steel projects looking for investment, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) is actively seeking engagement with steel firms across the UK. Information on investments made by the NWF is a matter for the Fund, which operates independently in making investment decisions.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how much funding his Department has provided to steel companies operating in Wales since the announcement of the Government's £2.5 billion funding to support the UK steel industry, excluding the separate £500 million grant to Tata Steel in Port Talbot.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the steel strategy, we are creating a more competitive business environment for steel companies in Wales and across the UK. This Government is investing in the Welsh steel industry with £500m for the transformation of Port Talbot, alongside over £100m for local community transition support. 7 Steel UK (formerly Celsa Steel UK) has been awarded over £20 million in grant funding by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) for several projects to improve energy efficiency while Swansea University will receive £11 million for their new 7-year steel research hub IGNITE.

For steel projects looking for investment, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) is actively seeking engagement with steel firms across the UK. Information on investments made by the NWF is a matter for the Fund, which operates independently in making investment decisions.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to his Department's document entitled The UK steel strategy, published on 20 March 2026, if he will set out the total value of investments made by the National Wealth Fund in steel companies and projects based in Wales.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the steel strategy, we are creating a more competitive business environment for steel companies in Wales and across the UK. This Government is investing in the Welsh steel industry with £500m for the transformation of Port Talbot, alongside over £100m for local community transition support. 7 Steel UK (formerly Celsa Steel UK) has been awarded over £20 million in grant funding by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) for several projects to improve energy efficiency while Swansea University will receive £11 million for their new 7-year steel research hub IGNITE.

For steel projects looking for investment, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) is actively seeking engagement with steel firms across the UK. Information on investments made by the NWF is a matter for the Fund, which operates independently in making investment decisions.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how much of the £2.5 billion funding announced to support the UK steel industry has been (a) allocated, (b) contractually committed and (c) paid to steel companies and projects based in Wales as of 12 October 2026.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the steel strategy, we are creating a more competitive business environment for steel companies in Wales and across the UK. This Government is investing in the Welsh steel industry with £500m for the transformation of Port Talbot, alongside over £100m for local community transition support. 7 Steel UK (formerly Celsa Steel UK) has been awarded over £20 million in grant funding by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) for several projects to improve energy efficiency while Swansea University will receive £11 million for their new 7-year steel research hub IGNITE.

For steel projects looking for investment, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) is actively seeking engagement with steel firms across the UK. Information on investments made by the NWF is a matter for the Fund, which operates independently in making investment decisions.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he plans to publish a breakdown by nation of the funding in the steel sector this Parliament that has been (a) allocated, (b) committed and (c) disbursed.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the steel strategy, we are creating a more competitive business environment for steel companies in Wales and across the UK. This Government is investing in the Welsh steel industry with £500m for the transformation of Port Talbot, alongside over £100m for local community transition support. 7 Steel UK (formerly Celsa Steel UK) has been awarded over £20 million in grant funding by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) for several projects to improve energy efficiency while Swansea University will receive £11 million for their new 7-year steel research hub IGNITE.

For steel projects looking for investment, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) is actively seeking engagement with steel firms across the UK. Information on investments made by the NWF is a matter for the Fund, which operates independently in making investment decisions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to help young people who are not in education, employment or training access employment in manufacturing.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

With around one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.

This investment will create up to 500,000 opportunities. This includes around 300,000 opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, alongside up to 200,000 employment opportunities through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers hiring 18 to 24-year-oldst who have been on Universal Credit for over six months. Also, a new £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy employers hiring 16 to 24-year-olds, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds with a fully funded six-month job.

DWP's Strategic Relationship Team works with manufacturing employers to promote apprenticeships, work experience, careers events and employability activity for young people, including those who are NEET. This includes aligning employer recruitment activity with Jobcentre support, developing pathways into engineering and advanced manufacturing careers, and working with employers to address skills shortages and increase opportunities for young people entering the sector.

The Department has also supported activity around National Manufacturing Day to raise awareness of careers in modern manufacturing, challenge outdated perceptions of the sector and promote opportunities including apprenticeships and work experience. In addition, manufacturing employers are making use of the Youth Job Grant, helping more young people who have been unemployed for longer periods move into sustained work.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Department is taking to reduce energy costs for manufacturing businesses.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the pressure high electricity costs place on businesses. Eligible energy-intensive businesses in Scotland can benefit from the British Industry Supercharger, which provides relief from certain electricity policy costs and network charges. The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also support over 10,000 businesses across Great Britain, reducing electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour—an average discount of around 25%. We are working closely with the Department for Business, Industry, Science and Trade to explore further options to reduce non-domestic electricity costs. In the longer term, delivering clean power will strengthen energy security and reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness and operational use of the Beckton desalination plant since 2010; whether future desalination plants will be subject to operational performance requirements; and what plans she has to expand desalination capacity as part of the UK's long-term water security strategy.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Thames Water is responsible for maintaining resilient supplies for its customers and reporting through its statutory planning and regulatory processes.

Water companies are required to demonstrate, through their Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs), that schemes, including the eight new desalination schemes proposed in their WRMPs, will maintain secure water supplies.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of industrial electricity prices on the international competitiveness of UK manufacturers.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the pressure high electricity costs place on businesses. Eligible energy-intensive businesses in Scotland can benefit from the British Industry Supercharger, which provides relief from certain electricity policy costs and network charges. The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also support over 10,000 businesses across Great Britain, reducing electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour—an average discount of around 25%. We are working closely with the Department for Business, Industry, Science and Trade to explore further options to reduce non-domestic electricity costs. In the longer term, delivering clean power will strengthen energy security and reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on economic growth in energy-intensive manufacturing sectors.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

We know high energy costs is one of the greatest challenges facing energy intensive manufacturing sectors, and is one of the key barriers to growth in the UK.

As part of the Modern Industrial Strategy, the Government has announced a series of measures to reduce industrial energy costs. This includes the creation of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will reduce electricity costs by c.£35-40/MWh and exempt more than 10,000 electricity intensive manufacturers from the indirect cost of the Renewables Obligation, Feed-In Tariffs and Capacity Market schemes from April 2027.

Alongside this, the Government has also increased support available through the British Industry Supercharger by increasing Network Charge Compensation from 60% to 90% from April this year. Around 500 of the UK's most energy-intensive businesses benefit from the scheme, which is expected to reduce their electricity costs by up to £420 million per year.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of equipping military planes with fire-retardant kits to provide additional capacity to help halt the frontlines of a wildfire, as used by French emergency services in Bordeaux in summer 2026.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK’s national resilience to climate-related hazards is of strategic importance and must be a whole of government endeavour. As one of the largest landowners in the UK, with critical infrastructure in remote locations, Defence fully recognises the importance of ensuring its own resilience to such hazards.

Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) allows Defence to provide vital support to civil authorities and emergency services when civilian capabilities are insufficient. 200 military personnel deployed rapidly to South Wales in August 2026 to support local fire and rescue services in their response to the wildfires.

Defence capabilities and their merits are carefully considered in line with affordability and overall effectiveness. Whilst there is currently no capability for military aircraft to be equipped with fire-retardant kits, Defence is committed to working across government, and with local partners through our liaison networks to understand climate-related risk and to work closely with civilian authorities to enhance our ability to respond effectively.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of employment costs on recruitment in the manufacturing sector.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government has published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act, including sectoral assessments: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Our analysis assesses the overall risk to employment as low.

The Government has also published impact assessments for National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage policy (NLW), including sectoral assessments. Evidence to date shows little or no significant impact on employment from past increases to the NLW and NMW.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN), published alongside Autumn Budget 2024, includes analysis of the impacts of employer National Insurance changes.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of forecast reductions in manufacturing employment in 2026 and 2027 on economic growth.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Data from the Office for National Statistics show that manufacturing jobs have declined by around 6.1% since the most recent peak in Q4 2022, while over the same period manufacturing output (measured by gross value added) has increased by 4.5% in real terms. According to the latest comparison of independent forecasts collated and published by HM Treasury in September 2026, manufacturing output remains forecast to see growth in 2026 (median projected growth 0.7%) and, with projections improving in recent months, in 2027 (median projected growth 1.2%).

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to support small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses to recruit apprentices.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Apprenticeships are a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

This Government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment. This will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, give employers, including in the manufacturing sector, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need, and support the industrial strategy.

We know that small businesses are more likely to offer apprenticeships to young people but recognise that they don’t have the economies of scale or HR resources of larger employers.

To support them, we have introduced a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (who are typically SMEs) when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant.

This is on top of the £1,000 we provide 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.

In addition, the government now fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes, as we prioritise funding toward young people.

Alongside this, 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.

The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN), which comprises around 3,000 employer and apprentice volunteers, 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.

Appointment of Russian diplomat to lead United Nations' mine-action work

Somerset Prostate Support Association and rural access to PSA testing

Rural fuel duty relief

LGBT+ rights in the Commonwealth

Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026

E1 settlements

World Menopause Day 2026

Cancer treatment in rural areas

Ukrainian Day of Defenders

Support for off-grid homes