Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support adult retraining in heritage building crafts through extending National Insurance relief or similar schemes to ensure such career paths are accessible to all demographics.

Answered by Lord Livermore

The Government has no current plans to extend National Insurance relief, or introduce similar schemes, specifically to support adult retraining in heritage building crafts. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process and considers a wide range of factors when introducing or expanding a tax relief. This includes how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.

The Government recognises the importance of heritage building crafts both to the conservation of our historic environment and to the development of skilled employment opportunities across the country. Our £230 million investment in heritage projects over this parliament will create new opportunities for the heritage craftspeople of the future.

This Government is also reforming the skills and apprenticeship system to ensure it meets the needs of the country and provides people with a foundation for a fulfilling career. The Government provides a range of financial support to help employers to take on apprentices and reach a range of individuals. This includes introducing a new employer hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers, typically SMEs, that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support small and medium-sized enterprises to address the indirect costs of training apprentices in heritage building crafts, such as travel and accommodation for training.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. We are investing an additional £2.5 billion into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to support nearly one million 16–24-year-olds into work, education or training. Over the next three years, this investment will deliver up to 300,000 opportunities for workplace experience and training, and unlock up to 200,000 jobs, including through the £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and guaranteeing jobs for long-term unemployed young people on Universal Credit.

The government provides a wide range of financial support to help employers to take on apprentices including in the heritage building crafts.

We are introducing a new employer hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers, typically SMEs, that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. It will apply to apprenticeship starts from October, as long as they have joined their employer within the past 3 months. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant from June 2026.

The government also pays £1,000 to both employers, of all sizes, and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. This payment can be used to cover any costs related to their employment, for example work equipment, travel costs or uniform.

Additionally, from August 2026, we will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for eligible people aged 16-24. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they provide to stonemasonry trainees at level 3 to help them to progress and demonstrate progression in their careers.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have a current level 2 apprenticeship standard Stonemason which has 247 starts on programme. York college and the Building Crafts College, London, are the main providers of the apprenticeship and they have close links to York Minster and many historical buildings around London. We are working with the sector to explore the potential for a L3 Stonemason apprenticeship.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many training providers are currently able to run level 2 apprenticeships in stonemasonry; and what plans they have to support further providers to offer that course.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Information regarding the training providers which deliver the Level 2 Stonemason apprenticeship standard is published here https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/courses/637/providers.

There are four providers: York College, Bath College, Building Crafts College and Moulton College.

Found: Baroness Walmsley (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Browning Baroness Cass Lord Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Baroness Walmsley (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Browning Baroness Cass Lord Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Baroness Walmsley (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Browning Baroness Cass Lord Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Q211 Baroness Freeman of Steventon: Thank you.

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: The Executive Director of the Winton Centre was Dr Alexandra Freeman, now Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: 15 Present: Baroness Walmsley (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Cass Lord Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Baroness Walmsley (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Browning Baroness Cass Lord Dholakia Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Baroness Browning; Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon

Found: meeting Members present: Baroness Walmsley (The Chair); Baroness Cass; Lord Dholakia; Baroness Freeman of Steventon