Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the time taken in agreeing the standard for a Maritime Caterer Apprenticeship between his Department and the Maritime Trailblazer Working Group.

The maritime caterer apprenticeship standard was discussed as part of a wider apprenticeships discussion when I met the former Skills Minister, the Rt. Hon. Robert Halfon MP, earlier this year.

Officials continue to support industry on the development of the standard and a number of meetings have recently taken place with the Merchant Navy Training Board and the Ratings Task Force where it has been discussed. The Department will continue to support the sector in future meetings, including those with the Institute for Apprenticeship.