Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) provision and (b) take up of seafarer apprenticeships in the North West.

An industry round-table, chaired by the then Maritime Minister, was held in Blackpool in May 2025. The round-table brought key stakeholders from across the maritime industry together to discuss the promotion of maritime careers in the North West. The Department is engaging with Skills England and the Department for Work and Pensions on the provision of maritime apprenticeships and will continue to advocate for growing maritime careers and apprenticeships with employers in the North West.