Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff have worked on foreign bribery in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit in each of the last three years.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Due to operational implications the NCA do not disclose the number of staff working in the ICU.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what staff attrition rate was in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit in each of the the past three years.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

Due to operational implications the NCA do not disclose the number of staff working in the ICU.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the changes to the Growth and Skills Levy allocation requirements will come into effect.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy.

From August 2025, we will be introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. This will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across England.

The first seven foundation apprenticeships will be focused on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, engineering, health and social care and digital. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 starts on foundation apprenticeships across this Parliament. We are also reducing the minimum duration in legislation to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. Apprentices in green energy, healthcare, film/TV production and teaching will be among the first set to benefit from shorter duration apprenticeships. The development of the growth and skills offer will be informed by the work of Skills England and its engagement with employers, training providers and others to identify priority skills gaps and how these can be addressed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what forms of approved training will be covered by Growth and Skills levy funds, in the context of the changes made in April 2025.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy.

From August 2025, we will be introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. This will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across England.

The first seven foundation apprenticeships will be focused on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, engineering, health and social care and digital. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 starts on foundation apprenticeships across this Parliament. We are also reducing the minimum duration in legislation to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. Apprentices in green energy, healthcare, film/TV production and teaching will be among the first set to benefit from shorter duration apprenticeships. The development of the growth and skills offer will be informed by the work of Skills England and its engagement with employers, training providers and others to identify priority skills gaps and how these can be addressed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing countryside access rights.

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

This Government recognises the physical and mental health benefits of improved access to the countryside. We are already taking action to increase responsible access to the countryside; by creating nine new National River Walks, three new National Forests, and the King Charles III England Coast Path.

We are also funding the £16 million Access or All programme which improves the accessibility and inclusivity of Protected Landscapes and National Trails. I saw the benefit of this myself when I met representatives of the Dartmoor Wheeled Access Group and how this funding has enabled equitable access to the Dartmoor National Park for wheelchair users.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Emily Thornberry (Chair); Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell

Found: Qureshi Rachael Maskell Antonia Bance Warinder Juss Sir Desmond Swayne Samantha Niblett Phil Brickell