Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2017 to Question 61718, on energy: conservation, if he will make representations to the energy sector and the construction industry on developing more apprenticeship standards for energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is working with industry to support robust and effective energy efficiency standards, taking into account the recommendations of the recently published Each Home Counts review. This includes recommendations regarding skills and training in the sector. Implementation of the recommendations will, as proposed by the review itself, be led by industry, and Government will work constructively with the sector to understand how and when they propose to implement the recommendations.

Employer led Trailblazers are designing apprenticeships that are responsive to the needs of business. A variety of standards has been developed, or is in development, to help employers in the energy efficiency sector and the construction industry develop the skills they need to grow their businesses. A list of published standards can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-standards-list-of-occupations-available.