Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

Apprenticeships are a valuable tool for improving skills, productivity, and social mobility, whilst also supporting the development of our workforce. My Department continues to offer apprenticeships whenever a suitable vacancy arises.

My Department recruited three apprentices in 2022, three in 2023, and none in 2024 or 2025.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with ministers in the Welsh Government concerning proposals to re-establish a Welsh Development Agency.

Answered by Lord Katz - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The re-establishment of a Welsh Development Agency is a matter which falls within the remit of the Welsh Government. The Wales Office is heavily engaged in supporting a coordinated approach toward investors between UK Government, Welsh Government, Corporate Joint Committees, and local authorities in Wales.

In 2024-2025, 65 new Foreign Direct Investment projects in Wales created 2,470 new jobs - an increase of 30% on the previous year in terms of new jobs created. Wales now lands nearly 5% of all inward investment projects in the UK, up from 3.4% in 2023/2024. The Wales Office recently launched a new programme of activity which will further improve coordination of how Wales is marketed to the world.

Economic Growth is the number one mission of this Government and our Industrial Strategy is delivering that for Wales – from Freeports and Investment Zones, to Artificial Intelligence (AI) Growth Zones and a Defence Growth Deal, we are creating the right conditions for business to grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across Wales.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The total value of severance payments is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.

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