Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to improve access to (a) training and (b) education for careers in (i) horticulture and (ii) the wider environmental sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

It is for providers and local areas, such as Surrey Heath, to determine what skills provision to deliver based on learner and employer demand.

A range of provision is available to support people to pursue careers in horticulture and environmental sectors, including:

• High quality apprenticeship standards between levels 2 and 7 in roles such as Horticulture or Landscape Operative, Professional Arboriculturist and Charted Landscape Professional.

• A range of Skills Bootcamps such as Grounds & Estates Horticulture, Horticulture and Forestry & Arboriculture.

• T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management and Production pathways, which include environmental horticulture and landscaping and tree and woodland management and maintenance.

• A number of qualifications related to horticulture or the wider environmental sector as part of Free Courses for Jobs, such as a diploma in Work-based Horticulture, advanced technical diploma in Horticulture, diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture, and advanced technical extended diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture.

There are also a number of land-based colleges in the country that specialise in horticulture and environmental provision, including Merrist Wood College in Surrey which delivers 160 courses including T Levels and apprenticeships.