Oral Answers to Questions

Toby Perkins Excerpts

Monday 20th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Anneliese Midgley (Knowsley) (Lab)]

6. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that it meets its target of two thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning.

[Mr Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)]

14. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that it meets its target of two thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning.

[Linsey Farnsworth (Amber Valley) (Lab)]

18. What steps her Department is taking to ensure that it meets its target of two thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning.

--- Later in debate ---

[Bridget Phillipson]

I know how passionate my hon. Friend is about securing better life chances and more opportunities for children across her constituency, and I would be more than happy to meet her to discuss that, whether it is through the expanded work that we are delivering in our schools to raise standards, opportunities for young people to get into vocational or technical education, or further measures in the White Paper that I will be setting out later this afternoon.

[Mr Perkins]

The construction skills hub in Staveley in my constituency is a great example of the value of apprenticeships, and this year 68 young people came straight out of school and started a new construction apprenticeship. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the only way we will be able to achieve the Government’s ambitious construction plans is by getting more people to take on a construction career? In welcoming the announcements that she is making, can she say what more she will do to ensure we get more young people into our construction industry?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right, and I know he has championed this cause for many years to ensure there are strong vocational and technical routes, including into areas such as construction. Around 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available each year, thanks to our £140 million investment, but that investment comes with reform, such as new foundation apprenticeships to equip young people with the skills they need, and construction technical excellence colleges in every region, working together with business, to ensure that we are training the plasterers, the electricians and the bricklayers of the future. Those are fantastic careers with great prospects, and we must ensure that they are available to more young people, including in my hon. Friend’s community.