Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what discussions he has had with further education providers, craft training bodies, and guilds, about the development of targeted apprenticeships and upskilling programmes that provide training in the skills needed for the restoration of the Palace of Westminster.

Over 100 organisations and businesses, including many heritage organisations, have attended 13 R&R supplier engagement roundtables held across every UK nation and region of England. Engagement with these heritage organisations has helped to generate a relevant understanding of, and a diverse insight into, the current and future challenges associated with the conservation, rehabilitation and development of heritage buildings.

In addition, the R&R Delivery Authority is assessing the skills needs across the UK and the significant skills shortages in some areas of the construction and heritage industries, in order to target initiatives at key trades and occupations designated as likely “pinch points”.

The R&R Delivery Authority is already collaborating with the heritage and craft industry, for example by forming a London heritage skills network comprising heritage organisations, further education providers, and craft training bodies. This group will feed into a new national heritage skills network as is supported by Historic England. The network is a means to share information between heritage organisations about labour needs and sector skills shortages, as well as identifying opportunities and training interventions and other schemes, such as targeted apprenticeships and traineeships, to support the development of skills required across the sector and on the R&R Programme. The R&R Delivery Authority also sits on a historic environment steering group, which has a nationwide focus and includes a variety of heritage organisations.