Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds were available to employers from the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) budget for rating to officer conversion training in each year since 2013-14; what proportion of that budget was spent in each such year; and what proportion of the total SMarT budget that amount represented in each such year.

Although Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) has a fixed budget, funding continues to be allocated on the basis of demand. The figures below therefore reflect the level of demand for rating to officer conversion training and for ratings training – both of which have been met in full.

As in previous years, £100,000 has been earmarked to train ratings and for rating to officer conversion training for each year between April 2014 and March 2016. Demand for this training has been very low and the allocation has not been used. The shortfall in demand for ratings training may still be due to the evident preference for Apprenticeship training rather than the traditional route.

The SMarT budget was increased from £12 million to £15 million per annum from April 2014 and is reflected in the percentage figures from 2014-15 onwards.