Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of welders to meet demand in the (a) infrastructure, (b) construction and (c) manufacturing sector.

We are working across Government to understand the demand impacts for the construction sector to deliver our built environment and infrastructure commitments. This includes working with Skills England, who will bring businesses, training partners and unions together with national and local government to develop a clear assessment of the country’s skills need – and map pathways by which they can be filled.

On 23 March, Government announced reforms that will get young people into well paid, high skilled, jobs in the construction sector by funding additional placements, establishing Technical Excellence Colleges, launching new foundation apprenticeships, and expanding Skills Bootcamps.