Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support adult retraining in heritage building crafts through extending National Insurance relief or similar schemes to ensure such career paths are accessible to all demographics.

The Government has no current plans to extend National Insurance relief, or introduce similar schemes, specifically to support adult retraining in heritage building crafts. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process and considers a wide range of factors when introducing or expanding a tax relief. This includes how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.

The Government recognises the importance of heritage building crafts both to the conservation of our historic environment and to the development of skilled employment opportunities across the country. Our £230 million investment in heritage projects over this parliament will create new opportunities for the heritage craftspeople of the future.

This Government is also reforming the skills and apprenticeship system to ensure it meets the needs of the country and provides people with a foundation for a fulfilling career. The Government provides a range of financial support to help employers to take on apprentices and reach a range of individuals. This includes introducing a new employer hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers, typically SMEs, that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees.