I have written to the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about developing green apprenticeship schemes to address rising youth unemployment and the worsening climate emergency.

Friends of the Earth recently released proposals for a green recovery after the pandemic – which will require well paid, green jobs. Apprentices should be being trained to retrofit homes, develop green transport infrastructure, and install the renewable energy sources we need to tackle carbon emissions.

The green recovery presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to overhaul our infrastructure and bring young people into the vanguard of innovation. After a disappointing lack of ideas from the Government on securing a green recovery, I hope Ministers can reassure me on this issue in their replies.

Read: Quarter of million green apprenticeships needed to fix youth unemployment crisis...