Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026 on workforce development in public services, including the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member for North Durham to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88252.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what alternative progression routes he plans to put in place for experienced staff affected by the cut to Level 7 apprenticeship funding who cannot afford postgraduate study but are expected to operate at senior professional or leadership level.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity and is determined to tackle the 40% fall in apprenticeship starts by young people aged under 25 that we’ve seen over the last decade.
Since January 2026, the government no longer funds level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers. Level 7 apprentices that started before 1 January 2026 will continue to be funded through to completion.
The government is encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff aged over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. The department has published guidance on privately funded apprenticeships, which will enable employers to privately fund level 7 apprenticeships for staff aged over 22: Privately funded apprenticeships: rules and guidance - GOV.UK. There are also alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with employers on the level of support for retention, succession planning and productivity for jobs affected by the potential impact of changes to eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member for North Durham to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88252.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what evidence his Department used to inform its decision to amend eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026; and if she will publish that evidence.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member for North Durham to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026 on trends in the level of social mobility for people from low-income households.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member for North Durham to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to eligibility to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships from 1 January 2026 on regional inequality (a) in County Durham and (b) England.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member for North Durham to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the difference in time horizons between venture capital of three to four years, and defence procurement cycles that exceed a decade, on private investment in the domestic defence sector.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Venture capital is only a sub-section of the capital available to support defence and our transition to warfighting readiness; venture capital is most suited to innovative, high-growth potential companies, not the large defence programmes with the longest timelines and procurement cycles.
Through Procurement Segmentation, as announced in the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy, we are establishing a ‘rapid commercial exploitation’ segment and distinct acquisition pathways which will enable a time-to-contract of three-months for innovative technologies, more closely aligning the timelines between investors and defence.
This will drive the investability and bankability of the defence sector, in parallel to the support offered by the newly established UK Defence Innovation and wider public financial institutions (for example, the British Business Bank).
The Defence Finance and Investment Strategy, to be published in Spring, will provide a comprehensive view of the measures to increase the available capital to improve warfighting readiness while also driving growth.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has examined options for cooperation with France on the M51.4 submarine‑launched missile.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK and France work closely together on a range of nuclear research and technology matters, including as part of the 2010 Teutates Treaty. Our deepening co-operation under the 2025 Northwood Declaration includes nuclear policy, capabilities and operations.
The UK will continue to rely on its Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missiles, which we procure from the United States, significantly reducing the cost of our nuclear deterrent capability. The Trident missile system remains the most reliable weapons system in the world and the government has absolute confidence that the UK’s deterrent remains effective, dependable, and formidable.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of serving British soldiers are classified as medically fit for immediate deployment; and how this compares to NATO readiness benchmarks.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The vast majority of our Service Personnel - around 90% - are deployable at any point, with most of the remaining members of our Armed Forces employed in wider military roles.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the timetable expected for a full safety report into Ajax family vehicles.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As the hon. Member will be aware, investigations into Ajax remain ongoing, and time must be given to ensure all information and evidence is considered. I will continue to keep the house informed of developments, as I have done since the issue arose n Exercise Titan Storm.
I released a written Ministerial Statement in the House on 22 January 2026 in which I provided an update to Parliament on the British Army’s Armoured Cavalry Programme (commonly known as Ajax) and the findings of the Ministerial review which has now concluded. It would not be appropriate to release any further specific details than those contained in my previous statement.