Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department plans to take to address (a) skill and (b) labour shortages following the Budget 2023.

At Spring Budget, the Government announced a wide-ranging package to break down barriers to work, unshackle business investment and tackle labour shortages head on. It included a new ‘Returnerships’ apprenticeship targeted at the over 50s, refining existing skills programmes to enable older workers to find a recognisable path back into work. The Chancellor also announced expansions to Sector-Based Work Academies and Skills Bootcamps, both existing and highly-successful skills programmes.

The Government is also backing six Private Members Bills to help new parents, unpaid carers, hospitality workers, giving all employees easier access to flexible working, and giving workers’ a right to request a more predictable working pattern.