Business of the House

Paul Davies Excerpts

Thursday 29th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Lady is right to raise the concerns of her constituents; where they have been affected, I am sorry to hear that. She has raised these matters before, and should she wish to meet with a Minister and outline the experience of her constituents to see what further can be done, I will arrange that.

[Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)]

We face a serious skills gap in the construction sector. Colleges across the country are doing fantastic work to help solve this issue. In my constituency, Kirklees college is a testament to the value of such institutions. I welcome the Government’s commitment to train 60,000 more skilled workers by 2029, but can we have a statement from the Government on the steps that they are taking to support institutions such as Kirklees college to meet the high demand for places and close the skills gap?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that matter and welcome the vital education and training that Kirklees college provides to its students. The Government announced a construction support package worth more than £600 million to tackle the shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector. That investment is a key part of our wider strategy to support our national infrastructure, but I will draw my hon. Friend’s request either for a statement or debate to the relevant Secretary of State’s attention.