Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 4.152 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC1183, published on 15 March 2023, what assessment he has made of the impact of the budget's measures on helping people into employment on labour shortages in the retrofit sector.

At Spring Budget 2023 the Government announced a comprehensive package to help increase employment through tackling inactivity, removing barriers that prevent people from working, and supporting them into the labour force.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects this package to result in 110,000 more individuals in the labour market by the end of the forecast period in 2027/28. Helping more individuals into employment will help address labour shortages across all UK sectors and industries.

Also in March, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced a new £5 million Heat Training Grant to support 10,000 trainees over the next 2 years to become low carbon heating experts.