Oral Answers to Questions

Helen Hayes Excerpts

Monday 27th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that post-16 education provides the necessary skills to support the economy.

[Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)]

6. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that post-16 education provides the necessary skills to support the economy.

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)]

Skills are vital to give young people opportunity, for economic growth and to our country’s renewal. That is why, as part of our youth guarantee, we are increasing short courses for high-demand sectors such as artificial intelligence and construction, expanding the number of youth hubs, and partnering with sports clubs to get help to people where they are in the community. Last week, we published the skills White Paper, which sets out the next steps for training the workforce of the future.

[Pat McFadden]

My hon. Friend has spoken often about this, and I believe that he started his career as an apprentice. As a former Rolls-Royce worker, he will have noted the skills White Paper, and of course he knows all about the importance of that company to the city of Derby. I congratulate Pride Park UTC on its plans for a new technical skills centre, and I will ensure that he gets a meeting with me or with the relevant Minister.

[Helen Hayes]

My Committee’s recent report on further education and skills highlights the poor amount of information on vocational and technical training opportunities, including apprenticeships, available to young people while they are in school. We recommend that UCAS be expanded to provide a single portal for information on academic, vocational and technical opportunities, so that every young person is aware of how they can train in the skills that they need to access a good job. Will the Secretary of State consider this recommendation, and work with the Department for Education to deliver it?

[Pat McFadden]

I welcome that question, as my hon. Friend raises a very important point. If we are going to have equal status for higher education and apprenticeship routes, we should look at how the information about them is disseminated to potential applicants. I hope that she will be pleased to hear that I have already asked the Department to begin work in this area.