Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) apprenticeships and (b) skills development in the defence manufacturing sector.

This Government recognises the critical importance of supporting the defence sector in order to benefit from the skilled workforce needed to sustain a vibrant, innovative and competitive defence industrial base.

Defence supports Defence Industry apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, including national apprenticeship awards, National Apprenticeship Week, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, and university careers fairs.

There is also ongoing engagement between defence and industry to address sector-wide issues, including recruitment and retention challenges. A dedicated joint MOD-industry working group is collaborating to identify and address skills gaps, including around UK defence sector STEM challenges.