HGV Driver Shortages Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

HGV Driver Shortages

Robert Halfon Excerpts
Monday 13th September 2021

(2 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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Mr Speaker, it is called the pandemic.

Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)
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My right hon. Friend’s statement shows that the Conservative party is the true workers’ party. A Harlow HGV driver said to me that the big issue is conditions, as has been pointed out. Is not the answer to this issue—indeed, this is the answer for so many problems to do with skills—to rocket-boost HGV apprenticeships? What is my right hon. Friend doing to work with the Department for Education and the Institute for Apprenticeships to rocket-boost those vital apprenticeships for HGV drivers?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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My right hon. Friend makes an excellent point. As I mentioned in passing—I will provide a little more detail—we have raised the funding band from £6,000 to £7,000 to allow large goods vehicle apprentices to come into the market, which is helping to attract more people. We have also included an incentive payment to employers of £3,000, made available for every apprentice they hire as a new employee. I hope both those measures are having a real impact.