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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the report by Make UK entitled Skills 2030: Closing the Gap, published on 26 September 2022.

The Minister for Industry has not held discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education on MakeUK’s report Skills 2030.

The Government recognises the importance of skilled workers in the manufacturing sector which is why funding for apprenticeships is increasing to £2.7 billion by 2024-25; the first increase to apprenticeships funding since 2019-20.