Select committee: Transport Committee
Recommendation 14
5th Report - Engine for growth: securing skills for transport manufacturing
Published 28 Jan 2026
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Skills for transport manufacturing All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Skills England should by the end of 2026 set out an evidence-led plan, commissioning research necessary to fill gaps in knowledge on what has worked best in the manufacturing sector, detailing how it will support the Government’s target to increase diversity in the manufacturing sectors. The plan should include commitments to: • assess the long-term effectiveness of manufacturing sector engagement activities with young people; • independently assess the outcomes of manufacturing sector recruitment campaigns; and • monitor bespoke adjustments made by manufacturers designed to increase diversity of entrants, such as introducing inclusive workwear for women. Skills England should also support small and medium-sized enterprises by providing shared toolkits to help them adopt best practice measures for increasing diversity. We ask that the Department for Transport report to our Committee at least every six months on progress towards achieving this diversity target in transport manufacturing specifically. (Recommendation, Paragraph 73)
From: Transport Committee, 5th Report - Engine for growth: securing skills for transport manufacturing (HC 1223), 28 January 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 5 May 2026 (deadline 28 March 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees with the Committee on several aims, such as keeping occupational standards current and strengthening careers guidance, but does not accept key funding and reporting recommendations on the levy.
- On levy funding, the government says capital projects are ineligible for apprenticeship funding and "there are no current plans to change this". From August 2026 the expiry window for levy funds reduces from 24 months to 12 months.
- On level 7 apprenticeships, it "has no plans to re-introduce levy funding" in the Industrial Strategy sectors, citing a priority on young people.
- On modular or part-time training and diversity reporting, it agrees on the importance of opportunities for people with caring responsibilities but does "not consider that these specific recommendations are the right way" to achieve this. It has no plans to make levy funding contingent on diversity.
- It agrees it is essential for occupational standards to remain current, but prefers a targeted review model to revisions at fixed intervals. It says Skills England will update standards "as needed".