Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many taxpayer-funded apprentices are due to begin work in the next six months on (1) HS2, (2) Hinkley Point C, and (3) CrossRail.

Major projects such as HS2, Hinkley Point C and Crossrail are vital in helping the Government meet its ambitions of driving up the number of apprentices across the construction and transport sector.

1. The HS2 programme has a commitment to creating a minimum of 2,000 apprenticeships over the lifetime of the programme. Since Royal Assent in 2017, HS2 Ltd and its supply chain has started 650 apprenticeships, of which 91 are within HS2 Ltd and 559 are within the supply chain. For the financial year 2021/22 HS2 forecast starting a further 289 apprenticeships.

2. EDF have reported that so far 756 apprentices trained on Hinkley Point C to date and are on track to meet the target of 1,000 apprenticeships during the construction phase.

3. MTR Crossrail forecast between 60-70 apprenticeships required in the next six months and between 15-20 existing employees undertaking apprenticeship training as part of the Crossrail operator concession programme. Alongside this there will also be 3 new apprentices starting at Old Oak Common in the next 6 months with Alstom as part of the Crossrail rolling stock programme.