Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of stakeholder groups on the approval of the Shared Outcome Fund bid for the creation of a National Skills Academy for Maritime (Shipbuilding).

HMT Officials are in regular contact with stakeholders. But it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, who are leading the National Skills Academy for Maritime bid, to engage with relevant stakeholders prior to submission of the bid.

This Government is committed to supporting people to develop the skills needed to get good jobs and improve national productivity. The Department for Education recently published the ‘Skills for Jobs’ White Paper which sets out how the government will put employers at the heart of the skills system to ensure skills provision meets local labour market needs.

The Shared Outcomes Fund encourage Departments to work together to overcome some of the most difficult social, environmental and economic challenges that sit across the areas of responsibility of multiple public sector organisations.

The second round of the Shared Outcomes Fund, announced at Spending Review 2020, will provide a further £200 million for projects to improve the join up across government.

The assessment process to award the funding is ongoing.