Asked by: Gordon McKee (Labour - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to help increase access to flexible and modular training for people seeking to move into occupations experiencing skills shortages.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Education and skills are devolved matters, the response outlines the information for England only.
We are transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, giving employers greater flexibility, creating more opportunities for young people, and directly supporting the Industrial Strategy.
In April 2026 we launched the first apprenticeship units focussing on priority sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), digital, construction and engineering. Apprenticeship units are short courses built from the knowledge and skills within existing employer-led occupational apprenticeship standards, ensuring high-quality, targeted training. They target immediate shortages in areas that will drive productivity and growth and will help employers upskill existing employees quickly and flexibly.
We have also reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months, where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice, as we know the previous 12-month minimum duration meant some employers and learners were prevented from accessing apprenticeships.
Additionally, we are also supporting more entry-level opportunities for young people, by introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to offer paid work trials as an alternative to formal interviews for jobseekers with learning disabilities.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Education and skills are devolved matters, the response outlines the information for England only.
We are transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, giving employers greater flexibility, creating more opportunities for young people, and directly supporting the Industrial Strategy.
In April 2026 we launched the first apprenticeship units focussing on priority sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), digital, construction and engineering. Apprenticeship units are short courses built from the knowledge and skills within existing employer-led occupational apprenticeship standards, ensuring high-quality, targeted training. They target immediate shortages in areas that will drive productivity and growth and will help employers upskill existing employees quickly and flexibly.
We have also reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months, where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice, as we know the previous 12-month minimum duration meant some employers and learners were prevented from accessing apprenticeships.
Additionally, we are also supporting more entry-level opportunities for young people, by introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for each Arm's Length Body (ALB) their Department sponsors, (a) how many people are employed in the following bands of total earnings, or nearest equivalent, (i) under £25,000, (ii) £ 25,001 to £ 35,000, (iii) £35,001 to £50,270, (iv) £50,271 to £100,00, (v) £100,001 to £ 125,140 and (vi) over £125,140, and (b) what estimate they have made of the total unfunded public sector pension liability.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Please see below table for each ALB:
a) How many people are employed in the following bands of total earnings or nearest equivalent
ALB | (i) under £25,000 | (ii) £25,001 to £35,000, | (iii) £35,001 to £50,270 | (iv) £50,271 to £100,00 | (v) £100,001 to £125,140 | (vi) over £125,140 |
British Transport Police Authority | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | <5 | <5 |
Civil Aviation Authority | 39 | 276 | 357 | 943 | 97 | 72 |
Crossrail International | 0 | 0 | <5 | <5 | <5 | 6 |
DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO) | <5 | 17 | 71 | 156 | 8 | 12 |
East West Rail | <5 | 8 | 38 | 124 | 39 | 21 |
HS2 | 16 | 106 | 301 | 1,039 | 209 | 107 |
National Highways | 107 | 2,344 | 2,288 | 2,233 | 42 | 63 |
Network Rail | 448 | 6,965 | 16,953 | 16,977 | 498 | 343 |
Northern Lighthouse Board | 28 | 22 | 92 | 70 | <5 | <5 |
Office of Rail and Road | 12 | 36 | 107 | 217 | 5 | 8 |
Transport Focus | 0 | 5 | 23 | 24 | 0 | <5 |
Trinity House | 24 | 37 | 86 | 158 | 10 | <5 |
(b) what estimate they have made of the total unfunded public sector pension liability
ALB | Response |
British Transport Police Authority | Not applicable to BTPA. BTPA pension scheme(s) are fully funded |
Civil Aviation Authority | Civil Aviation Authority employees are enrolled in our pensions schemes not covered by the public sector pension fund. We have 10 colleagues who were brought into the CAA on TUPE arrangements and who remain active members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Employee and Employers contributions are paid monthly based on prevailing rates set by the scheme. |
Crossrail International | There is no public sector pension liability. |
DfT Operator Limited (DFTO) | This question is not relevant to DfTO as they are in a money management scheme. |
East West Rail | We are not part of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. |
HS2 | HS2 Ltd does not have any unfunded public sector pension liability. HS2 Ltd employees do not participate in any public sector pension. Rather they are offered the opportunity to become members of a defined contribution pension plan, administered by Legal and General. |
National Highways | National Highways is unable to estimate liabilities relating to Civil Service Pension Scheme membership. The Civil Service Pension Scheme is an unfunded public service pension scheme, with benefits ultimately funded from future government revenues rather than from a dedicated fund of assets. Actuarial valuations of accrued liabilities are undertaken centrally by the Government Actuary's Department (GAD), which also determines the employer contribution rates payable under the scheme. Consequently, National Highways does not calculate, hold, or recognise any pension liability relating to Civil Service Pension Scheme membership on its balance sheet. National Highways' responsibility is limited to paying employer contributions at the rates prescribed by the scheme, which are publicly available. As the actuarial assessment of liabilities is performed centrally and does not sit with participating employers, National Highways is not able to provide a liability estimate. |
Network Rail | The pension schemes Network Rail currently operates (Network Rail Section of the RPS, NR CARE and NRDC) are not 'unfunded public sector' pension schemes – they are classified as funded private sector occupational pension schemes (benefits are backed by invested assets rather than being paid directly from current taxation). |
Northern Lighthouse Board | Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) participates in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). The PCSPS is an unfunded multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme and NLB is unable to identify its share of the underlying scheme assets and liabilities. Accordingly, no organisation-specific estimate of the unfunded pension liability is available. |
Office of Rail and Road | As per our recently published Annual Report and Accounts, there is insufficient information available to be able to identify ORR’s share of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme liabilities and costs (page 113). Our understanding is that this is common across Government Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies. |
Transport Focus | Transport Focus participates in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). The PCSPS is an unfunded multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme and Transport Focus is unable to identify its share of the underlying scheme assets and liabilities. Accordingly, no organisation-specific estimate of the unfunded pension liability is available. |
Trinity House | Trinity House participates in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). The PCSPS is an unfunded multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme and Trinity House is unable to identify its share of the underlying scheme assets and liabilities. Accordingly, no organisation-specific estimate of the unfunded pension liability is available. |
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of Armed Forces pension scheme provisions which limit survivor pension entitlement for spouses who married former service personnel after they had left service; and whether he plans to review Armed Forces pension scheme provisions.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Before 6 April 1978, it was a well-established principle of occupational pension schemes, including those for the Armed Forces, that to be eligible to claim part of the scheme member’s pension upon the member’s death, a widow/er had to be married to the scheme member at the time they were in service. After 6 April 1978, when the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 came into force, this principle ended and provision was made for the payment of pensions to widow/ers who married service members after they had retired from service. However, the pension was paid only for any service that the member had after April 1978.
The changes did not extend to providing survivor benefits (i.e. to widow/ers) for members who left before 6 April 1978 and married after that date. Individuals receive the benefits in accordance with the scheme rules in place at the time of their retirement. It is a principle of public service pensions policy, and one that has been upheld by successive Governments, that improvements to pension schemes are not made retrospective. Retrospection would add significantly to the cost of introducing any meaningful improvements to the schemes.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) what assessments have been carried out on the potential health risks of BPS-coated receipts for workers handling large volumes, including hospitality and retail staff, and (b) what measures are being implemented to ensure these workers are fully protected from these occupational hazards.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in its role as the Agency under the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) Regulation, published an Agency technical report - Bisphenol and bisphenol derivative developers in thermal paper. The report concluded, on the basis of the available hazard data, that Bisphenol S (BPS) is absorbed through the skin to a lesser extent than Bisphenol A (BPA), resulting in a lower overall dose for those handling thermal paper.
A restriction under UK REACH, mirrored across the UK and EU, prohibits the placing on the market of thermal paper containing BPA at concentrations equal to or greater than 0.02% by weight.
Separately, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) place clear duties on employers and the self‑employed to prevent, or where that is not reasonably practicable, to adequately control exposure to substances hazardous to health in the workplace. This requires dutyholders to assess risks, identify potential routes of exposure, and implement proportionate control measures in line with the recognised hierarchy of control, prioritising elimination or substitution with safer alternatives, followed by engineering and organisational controls, and relying on personal protective equipment only as a last resort.
Manufacturers, importers and suppliers also have legal responsibilities to ensure that substances placed on the market are safe when used as intended. This includes identifying hazardous properties, ensuring correct classification, labelling and packaging in accordance with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, and providing appropriate information to users. This information must include up‑to‑date Safety Data Sheets and clear advice on safe storage, handling, use and emergency measures.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Independent - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help improve mental health and wellbeing support in the media production industry.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related regulations require employers and the self-employed to protect the health, safety and welfare of workers. Under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments, including risks from work-related stress, and share significant findings with those affected.
To support compliance, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides a range of guidance on common risks which may be applicable to activities within film, television and theatrical production, such as work related stress (Work-related stress and how to manage it - HSE). HSE also provides guidance specific to the film and television industry, describing the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360 - Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and guidance and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles. All guidance is freely available on the HSE website. Industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.
HSE also chairs the Joint Advisory Committee for Entertainment (JACE), which brings together industry trade bodies, trade unions, large event organisations and national broadcasting organisations to address industry concerns and promote higher health and safety standards. In addition, HSE works with the Film and TV Charity, the Society of Occupational Medicine Special Interest Group for occupational health in Film and TV and industry trade unions to raise awareness of, and control, work-related stress and psychosocial hazards within the sector.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what role Industry Training Boards will play in supporting skills development in sectors with technical workforce shortages like aviation engineering.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Industry Training Boards (ITBs) play an important role in supporting skills development for the sectors that fall within the scope of their respective industries, as defined by legislation made under the Industrial Training Act 1982. Aviation engineering is not, however, included within the scope of either the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) or the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).
The ITBs raise a levy on in-scope employers, which they use to make better provision for training within their industry. This includes identifying skills needs in their industries, maintaining occupational standards and competence, funding support for apprenticeships and skills training, promoting careers in their industries, helping employers recruit and retain new entrants, and investing in sector-specific skills programmes. These activities help ensure employers in their industries have access to the skilled workforces needed to meet current and future industry demand.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria Skills England will use to identify priority occupations and future skills needs in sectors such as aviation engineering.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Skills England published its Annual Skills Report and Sector Skills Needs Assessment on 1 June 2026. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-england-annual-skills-report-and-sectoral-skills-needs-assessments-2026. The reports feature skills assessments of the Advanced Manufacturing sector and Defence sector, both of which include aerospace engineers as a priority occupation.
Methods used to select priority occupations and project future demand were selected by sponsoring government departments, considering current demand data, economy-wide projections, strategic priorities and expert judgement from the sector. For Defence the sponsoring department is the Ministry of Defence and for Advanced manufacturing it is the Department of Business and Trade.
Skills England also assess skills needs through the UK Standard Skills Classification, identifying the occupational and core skills areas relevant to priority occupations at a sectoral and economy-wide level.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the consultation entitled ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’, whether he is taking steps to ensure future guidance doesn’t impede on the primary duty of pension fund trustees.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Trustees of occupational pension schemes must act in accordance with their legal and fiduciary duties and in the interests of scheme members. The consultation ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’ seeks views on trustee standards, governance and administration and does not alter those duties.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following the conclusion of the consultation entitled ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’, what steps he will take to ensure any guidance to pension fund trustees remains voluntary.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Trustees of occupational pension schemes must act in accordance with their legal and fiduciary duties and in the interests of scheme members. The consultation ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’ seeks views on trustee standards, governance and administration and does not alter those duties.