Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of apprenticeships in the hair and beauty sector for young people aged 16 to 24.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the hair and beauty sector, including the Level 2 Hairdressing Professional standard and the Level 2 Barbering Professional standard.
We are investing an additional £2.5 billion in the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
To support non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 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.
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.
These payments can be stacked together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible young people aged under 25 from the next academic year, to boost small business starts. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises around 3,000 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: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to provide targeted apprenticeship incentives for sectors with a high proportion of small and micro-businesses, including hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the hair and beauty sector, including the Level 2 Hairdressing Professional standard and the Level 2 Barbering Professional standard.
We are investing an additional £2.5 billion in the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
To support non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 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.
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.
These payments can be stacked together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible young people aged under 25 from the next academic year, to boost small business starts. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises around 3,000 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: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in the hair and beauty sector for young people aged 16 to 24.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the hair and beauty sector, including the Level 2 Hairdressing Professional standard and the Level 2 Barbering Professional standard.
We are investing an additional £2.5 billion in the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
To support non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 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.
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.
These payments can be stacked together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
Additionally, the government will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible young people aged under 25 from the next academic year, to boost small business starts. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.
The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises around 3,000 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: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Category C1 driving licence requirements on the operating costs of small and medium-sized enterprises that use 7.5-tonne vehicles.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department considered evidence on Category C1 licensing requirements through its 2022 driving licensing review call for evidence, including whether Category B car licence holders should be granted C1 entitlement for vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. Responses indicated potential economic benefits, such as reduced training, testing and recruitment costs for operators, but also highlighted concerns about additional costs, including insurance premiums, and road safety implications linked to driver training and experience.
Training costs are set commercially, and drivers operating commercially must also meet Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requirements, with test costs aligned across lorry and bus categories. The Department keeps the driver licensing framework under review to ensure it remains safe, proportionate and consistent with the UK’s international commitments.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of labour availability for businesses that rely on drivers with Category C1 entitlement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of labour availability for businesses that rely on drivers with Category C1 entitlement.
The Department considered evidence on Category C1 driving licence entitlement as part of the 2022 driving licensing call for evidence, which included whether changes could widen the recruitment pool for medium-sized goods vehicle drivers. The Department keeps the driver licensing framework under review to ensure it remains safe, proportionate and consistent with the UK’s international obligations.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extended licensing hours during major sporting tournaments where separate planning restrictions remain in force.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Secretary of State to make a Licensing Hours Order to extend operating hours on a national basis for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” in England and Wales. National licensing hours extensions provide many benefits including enabling local communities to come together to collectively celebrate important events, providing efficiencies to both businesses and local authorities, and saving businesses the cost of the temporary events fee in those cases. The national licensing extensions we have put in place for the men’s football World Cup have been welcomed by fans and hospitality businesses alike.
Licensing hours orders do not override locally applied licence conditions which ensure the licensing objectives are effectively upheld. Nor do they override planning rules and regulations which operate separately from the licensing regime as they cover different, albeit related, matters. While this means a small number of licensed premises may not be in scope of a licensing hours order, the Government is clear that these orders still provide significant benefits to many licensed premises. Any premises which is not in scope can apply for a Temporary Event Notice for a small fee of £21 if they wish to do so.
Decisions to extend licensing hours on a national basis are preceded by a consultation with respondents usually including representatives from the hospitality sector. Extensive discussions with the hospitality sector about the licensing regime also took place as part of the DBT-led Licensing Taskforce which published their report last autumn. This was followed by a Government call for evidence on the licensing regime which attracted over 2,000 responses.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers consulted hospitality venue operators in residential areas on the impact that planning restrictions may have on the use of temporary licensing extensions during major sporting events.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Secretary of State to make a Licensing Hours Order to extend operating hours on a national basis for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” in England and Wales. National licensing hours extensions provide many benefits including enabling local communities to come together to collectively celebrate important events, providing efficiencies to both businesses and local authorities, and saving businesses the cost of the temporary events fee in those cases. The national licensing extensions we have put in place for the men’s football World Cup have been welcomed by fans and hospitality businesses alike.
Licensing hours orders do not override locally applied licence conditions which ensure the licensing objectives are effectively upheld. Nor do they override planning rules and regulations which operate separately from the licensing regime as they cover different, albeit related, matters. While this means a small number of licensed premises may not be in scope of a licensing hours order, the Government is clear that these orders still provide significant benefits to many licensed premises. Any premises which is not in scope can apply for a Temporary Event Notice for a small fee of £21 if they wish to do so.
Decisions to extend licensing hours on a national basis are preceded by a consultation with respondents usually including representatives from the hospitality sector. Extensive discussions with the hospitality sector about the licensing regime also took place as part of the DBT-led Licensing Taskforce which published their report last autumn. This was followed by a Government call for evidence on the licensing regime which attracted over 2,000 responses.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the interaction between licensing extensions and planning restrictions on operating hours; and the potential impact of this interaction on hospitality businesses.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Secretary of State to make a Licensing Hours Order to extend operating hours on a national basis for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” in England and Wales. National licensing hours extensions provide many benefits including enabling local communities to come together to collectively celebrate important events, providing efficiencies to both businesses and local authorities, and saving businesses the cost of the temporary events fee in those cases. The national licensing extensions we have put in place for the men’s football World Cup have been welcomed by fans and hospitality businesses alike.
Licensing hours orders do not override locally applied licence conditions which ensure the licensing objectives are effectively upheld. Nor do they override planning rules and regulations which operate separately from the licensing regime as they cover different, albeit related, matters. While this means a small number of licensed premises may not be in scope of a licensing hours order, the Government is clear that these orders still provide significant benefits to many licensed premises. Any premises which is not in scope can apply for a Temporary Event Notice for a small fee of £21 if they wish to do so.
Decisions to extend licensing hours on a national basis are preceded by a consultation with respondents usually including representatives from the hospitality sector. Extensive discussions with the hospitality sector about the licensing regime also took place as part of the DBT-led Licensing Taskforce which published their report last autumn. This was followed by a Government call for evidence on the licensing regime which attracted over 2,000 responses.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation Ministers undertook with hospitality businesses prior to announcing temporary licensing changes linked to major sporting tournaments.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Secretary of State to make a Licensing Hours Order to extend operating hours on a national basis for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” in England and Wales. National licensing hours extensions provide many benefits including enabling local communities to come together to collectively celebrate important events, providing efficiencies to both businesses and local authorities, and saving businesses the cost of the temporary events fee in those cases. The national licensing extensions we have put in place for the men’s football World Cup have been welcomed by fans and hospitality businesses alike.
Licensing hours orders do not override locally applied licence conditions which ensure the licensing objectives are effectively upheld. Nor do they override planning rules and regulations which operate separately from the licensing regime as they cover different, albeit related, matters. While this means a small number of licensed premises may not be in scope of a licensing hours order, the Government is clear that these orders still provide significant benefits to many licensed premises. Any premises which is not in scope can apply for a Temporary Event Notice for a small fee of £21 if they wish to do so.
Decisions to extend licensing hours on a national basis are preceded by a consultation with respondents usually including representatives from the hospitality sector. Extensive discussions with the hospitality sector about the licensing regime also took place as part of the DBT-led Licensing Taskforce which published their report last autumn. This was followed by a Government call for evidence on the licensing regime which attracted over 2,000 responses.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers have had discussions with representatives of the hospitality sector on the interaction between planning restrictions and temporary licensing extensions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows the Secretary of State to make a Licensing Hours Order to extend operating hours on a national basis for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” in England and Wales. National licensing hours extensions provide many benefits including enabling local communities to come together to collectively celebrate important events, providing efficiencies to both businesses and local authorities, and saving businesses the cost of the temporary events fee in those cases. The national licensing extensions we have put in place for the men’s football World Cup have been welcomed by fans and hospitality businesses alike.
Licensing hours orders do not override locally applied licence conditions which ensure the licensing objectives are effectively upheld. Nor do they override planning rules and regulations which operate separately from the licensing regime as they cover different, albeit related, matters. While this means a small number of licensed premises may not be in scope of a licensing hours order, the Government is clear that these orders still provide significant benefits to many licensed premises. Any premises which is not in scope can apply for a Temporary Event Notice for a small fee of £21 if they wish to do so.
Decisions to extend licensing hours on a national basis are preceded by a consultation with respondents usually including representatives from the hospitality sector. Extensive discussions with the hospitality sector about the licensing regime also took place as part of the DBT-led Licensing Taskforce which published their report last autumn. This was followed by a Government call for evidence on the licensing regime which attracted over 2,000 responses.