Oral Answers to Questions

Jessica Toale Excerpts

Monday 19th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Jessica Toale (Bournemouth West) (Lab)]

2. What steps he is taking to help improve skills in the defence workforce.

[Lauren Edwards (Rochester and Strood) (Lab)]

16. What steps he is taking to improve skills in the defence workforce.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Wes Streeting)]

Before I begin my answer, I pay tribute to Major Paul Wilks, who was sadly killed in a road traffic accident in Ukraine last month. I know the whole House will join me in sending heartfelt thoughts and condolences to all his family, friends and colleagues, particularly his wife and children.

There has never been a better or more important time to join defence. I am determined to ensure that we give people from all backgrounds opportunities to succeed, while creating the skills and talent that keep our country safe. As part of the defence industrial strategy, we are investing £182 million to improve science, technology, engineering and maths skills for young people and increase capacity in the education system, as well as backing defence technical excellence colleges in England with £50 million, with the ambition and intention to see that expand to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We have got to strengthen our defence industrial skills base to provide opportunities for the next generation; this Government, with this investment, will certainly do that.

[Jessica Toale]

I recently opened the new cyber-competence centre at Bournemouth University, which provides courses in cyber-defence intelligence and autonomous systems in partnership with industry. The centre is creating a vital pipeline of talent to keep our nation safe and ensure economic resilience. Will the Secretary of State tell us how we can encourage more partnerships between industry and our higher and further education institutions to ensure that this pipeline of talent continues and we keep the nation safe with those skills?

[Wes Streeting]

I thank my hon. Friend for championing Bournemouth University and the work that has been undertaken to develop the cyber competence centre that she opened last month. As part of our defence strategic priorities grant competition, we are investing over £2.8 million to boost the work at Bournemouth University, including establishing new undergraduate courses in cyber-defence and autonomous systems, increasing skills development for students and collaborating with employers. We would like to see that approach—of Government, industry and our innovation and science base working together—power the future of defence.