Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to offer paid work trials as an alternative to formal interviews for jobseekers with learning disabilities.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Education and skills are devolved matters, the response outlines the information for England only.
We are transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, giving employers greater flexibility, creating more opportunities for young people, and directly supporting the Industrial Strategy.
In April 2026 we launched the first apprenticeship units focussing on priority sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), digital, construction and engineering. Apprenticeship units are short courses built from the knowledge and skills within existing employer-led occupational apprenticeship standards, ensuring high-quality, targeted training. They target immediate shortages in areas that will drive productivity and growth and will help employers upskill existing employees quickly and flexibly.
We have also reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months, where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice, as we know the previous 12-month minimum duration meant some employers and learners were prevented from accessing apprenticeships.
Additionally, we are also supporting more entry-level opportunities for young people, by introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of recruitment for specialist engineering, cyber and digital defence roles required by the Defence Investment Plan.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department keeps workforce requirements under continuous review. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) includes investment in specialist engineering, cyber, digital and data skills, alongside initiatives to improve recruitment, retention and workforce development, including cyber training, digital skills programmes, apprenticeships, bursaries and sponsored education schemes.
The DIP also supports the Government's broader commitment that one in ten civil servants will work in digital roles by 2030, helping to build the cyber, digital and engineering workforce needed to deliver future capability.
These measures are intended to ensure Defence has access to the specialist skills required to deliver the capabilities set out in the DIP.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the breakdown of skills base of the 4,500 people working on FCAS and GCAP.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) at its heart, is driving investment in a broad range of highly sought-after engineering and manufacturing skills, to keep the UK at the forefront of aerospace innovation. Digital first and data-driven, this includes skills such as model-based systems engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital engineering.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of digital exclusion among older people.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government’s ambition is simple: everyone, whatever their circumstances, should be able to get connected and get online, safely and with confidence
In 2025, 20% of those aged 75+ do not have home internet access compared to 5% across all age groups. Those aged 75+ are also less likely to have the foundational level of digital skills (54%) compared to the general population (85%). This has however improved by 23 percentage points since 2022, when only 31% of those aged 75+ had foundational level digital skills.
In the year since the Digital Inclusion Action Plan was published in 2025, over a million people have been connected or supported to get online, more than 22,000 people have received a free device, and communities across the UK have benefited from the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund. This includes Age UK’s Digital Champion Programme providing digital skills and devices across England.
Asked by: Gordon McKee (Labour - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Department is taking with employers to ensure that qualifications and digital badges earned through the AI Skills Boost programme are recognised in recruitment and workplace progression.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The government is committed to building a digitally skilled workforce to support long-term economic growth, drive innovation and expand individual opportunity across the UK.
Skills England has developed a framework outlining the foundational AI skills that are needed to thrive in today’s AI economy. AI Skills Boost courses are underpinned by this framework, and a number of these courses carry additional accreditations.
Anyone who completes an AI Skills Boost Course covering all 6 foundation skills will receive a virtual badge to show they have met this benchmark, which can be displayed on their LinkedIn profile to demonstrate their skills to employers. These courses and virtual badges help employers to know that workers can use AI tools in a safe, effective and responsible way.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to people aged 25 to 30 who are unemployed but do not fall within the NEET category.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Work and Pensions offers a range of employment support that those aged 25-30 can benefit from. This includes financial support through the Flexible Support Fund to help with interviews or starting work, and tailored, flexible support through Jobcentre Plus. Alongside targeted job-search support, Work Coaches offer personalised advice to help individuals secure roles which reflect their skills, qualifications and prior experience.
Where appropriate, Work Coaches identify skill gaps and signpost jobseekers to relevant training and provision, such as Skills Bootcamps, apprenticeships, sector-based work academy programmes, and free courses for jobs, as well as essential English, maths and digital skills.
For those who have been on Universal Credit for 6 months or more, the Restart Scheme provides 12 months of more intensive support, including bespoke action plans.
Alongside this, we are developing tailored support for those with health conditions and disabilities through our Pathways to Work, backed by £1 billion a year of new funding by the end of the decade.
We are also delivering 11 Economic Inactivity Trailblazers, led by Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Welsh Government, which are testing local approaches to support people who are hardest to reach to move towards work.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of youth organisations in supporting the development of artificial intelligence literacy and online safety skills among young people.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government recognises the role youth organisations play in helping young people build skills to navigate the online world safely. In April, the Secretary of State met young people, experts and industry, to discuss AI’s opportunities and challenges. The event reinforced the need to involve young people in future policy development.
Our Media Literacy Action Plan includes support for young people in schools and communities. This includes the TechFirst programme which will give one million students opportunities to learn about technology, including AI, and projects funded through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund supporting media literacy and understanding of AI.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support older adults to gain the numerical and financial literacy skills to manage their finances ahead of and during retirement.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government recognises the importance of ensuring that people have the skills, knowledge and support necessary to manage their finances effectively and offers a range of initiatives to help individuals prepare ahead of and during retirement.
Adults in England can access funded Essential Skills provision, including numeracy courses, to help them develop practical maths skills for everyday life, including budgeting and managing household finances.
For those receiving benefits, work coaches can refer customers with numeracy skills gaps to appropriate training. In addition, Midlife MOTs delivered in Jobcentres help people aged over 50 on Universal Credit review their finances, skills and health, and signpost them to suitable support. A digital Midlife MOT is also available to everyone.
The government also supports financial capability through the Money and Pensions Service. Its MoneyHelper service provides free and impartial money and pensions guidance, budgeting tools and calculators, while Pension Wise offers free guidance appointments to people aged 50 and over to help them understand their pension options and make informed decisions about retirement.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what training his Department provides on AI; and (a) how many hours and (b) what topics and skills are covered by such training.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Cabinet Office provides a recommended AI training offer for all civil servants across government who are not digital or technical specialists. The training is available online and delivered via Civil Service Learning.
The learning offer provides material to meet a wide range of needs across the Civil Service. In total, around 130 hours worth of training is available. However, most civil servants will only need to complete some modules.
The AI training modules and are intended to build the following AI skills in civil servants:
Foundational AI skills (AI literacy, Assessing AI opportunities, Interpreting AI outputs)
AI Strategy and Implementation
AI Governance and Safety (Applying AI Governance, Using AI Safely).
Digital and AI training will be a top priority for the National School of Government and Public Services when it launches in the Autumn.
Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether professionals with specific expertise of (1) cerebral palsy, (2) Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and (3) Assistive Technology, will be part of the national expert panel developing the national standards and specialist support packages.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The National Inclusion Standards will set out what ordinarily available provision should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system, whilst Specialist Provision Packages will provide comprehensive, evidence-based packages of support for those children and young people with the most complex needs.
The department has appointed an independent panel of experts, selected for their skills, knowledge, and professional standing, and led by education and health co-chairs, to develop and review the Standards and Packages. The panel includes education specialists, research experts and health professionals with occupational therapy and speech, language and communication expertise. The panel will engage with stakeholders to make sure their recommendations are informed by a wide range of views and lived experience
We are committed to upskilling staff to use assistive technology to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) including cerebral palsy. We have invested over £1.6 million to pilot assistive technology lending libraries through the SEND and alternative provision change programme, allowing up to 3,800 mainstream settings to borrow technology and ‘try before they buy’. We have also launched new introductory assistive technology training materials, helping every teacher to feel confident using digital tools to support children and young people with SEND.