Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
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 changes to funding eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeships on access to architectural training; and what discussions have taken place with stakeholders regarding age limits and future funding arrangements.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question UIN 57098.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current regulatory framework for designing buildings and the act of building, in the context of the requirements introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022; and what steps are being considered to address knowledge gaps identified within the industry.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Act 2022 created duties to keep the safety and standards of buildings under review and also to establish and maintain the Building Advisory Committee, which advises on matters connected with building safety, except those relating to the competence of persons in the built environment industry, and registered building inspectors. The Act also requires the Regulator to prepare a report on certain safety-related matters by October 2026 and consider further provision, or guidance, about stairs and ramps, emergency egress of disabled persons, and automatic water fire suppression systems in relevant buildings, with a view to improving the safety of persons in or about the built environment. Functions are ongoing and no review or assessment of these parts of the Act have been carried out to date.
In response to the Grenfell Inquiry’s recommendation 19, both the regulator, the Architects Registration Board (ARB), and the professional body, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), have taken steps to improve the education and training of architects. On 17 December 2025, the government published the Single Construction Regulator prospectus. The prospectus sets out how government will develop a strategy to reform regulation of built environment professionals, including with a view to better support the competency of professionals.