Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of potential opportunities the Defence Technical Excellence College programme can provide for apprenticeships and advanced technical training, national security and regional economic development.

Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs) will be specialist training centres for students aged 16 and above that will equip them with the cutting-edge technical skills required for critical defence roles. The DTECs will help bolster our national security and contribute to regional economic development by providing a skilled workforce to communities across Great Britain.

In April 2026, we announced the five successful DTECs in England: Blackpool and the Fylde College, City College Plymouth, Yeovil College, Lincoln College and Rotherham College (RNN Group).

As part of the Defence Growth Deals, we have also announced our intention to launch a DTEC in Wales and two DTECs in Scotland, one in east and one in west Scotland. We are working with the respective devolved governments and education authorities in those nations to establish these.