Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage the recruitment of skilled workers to the defence shipbuilding sector.

As identified in the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh, the independent UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce (UKSST) was established to work across government, the Devolved Administrations, industry and training providers to develop and publish a future-focussed skills strategy for both Defence and the broader shipbuilding enterprise. The Taskforce published its recommendations on Monday 11 September in a report called "A Step Change in UK Shipbuilding Skills", and the government will publish a formal response to this in the New Year.

I have also discussed maritime skills with a number a number of UK Defence primes.