Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Government's target to increase the proportion of STEM graduates in the Fast Stream to 50 per cent on skills shortages in STEM sectors; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce staff shortages in STEM dependent sectors.

Last week, the Department published the UK science and technology framework, which sets out our goals and vision for science and technology in an enduring framework that will see us through to 2030. This includes a vision to build on the UK's already amazing talent and skills base. Initial work under the framework will include:

• Developing a DfE Skills Dashboard in 2023, to understand the supply and demand of science and technology skills for the technologies that we plan to prioritise.
• Taking forward the Prime Minister’s ambition for all young people to study Maths to 18.
• Working across government, with educators and employers, to develop the pipeline of individuals entering priority computing and digital sectors.
• Finding and attracting the next generation of AI leaders from around the world, showcasing our fantastic offer and matching them to specific opportunities in the UK.
• Continuing to roll out a network of 21 employer-led Institutes of Technology (IoTs), which will offer higher level technical training. IoTs also have a remit to help widen participation at higher technical levels from disadvantaged and under-represented groups.

The Fast Stream is administered by the Cabinet Office and therefore the Department has made no relevant assessment.