Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to have discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the expansion of skills in the (a) design, (b) fabrication and (c) packaging of semiconductors.

This Government recognises skills as an essential lever to maximise the potential of our semiconductor sector, drive growth and create high-quality jobs across the whole of the UK. I regularly meet with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and our departments will work together to secure our future talent pipeline for the UK’s priority technology sectors, including in semiconductors. The recently announced Skills England will play a vital role in uniting government, business, training providers, and unions to address the skills needs of the next decade.