Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Renewable Energy Sector: Job Creation

Tuesday 29 April 2025 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Government announced over 55 million for the expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth to create offshore wind supply chains.
  • Scotland's declining oil and gas industries have lost 40% of their jobs in the past decade.
  • Government set aside 200 million to build the future in Grangemouth and is collaborating with the Scottish Government.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Economy Climate Energy
Context

The MP refers to the recall of Parliament to discuss North Sea structures made from British steel at Nigg yard. He highlights the need for skills in fabricating floating offshore wind structures.

Question

The reason I was here on that Saturday when Parliament was recalled is because some of the mightiest structures in the North sea were made from British steel at the Nigg yard. On the question of renewables, may I ask the Secretary of State what we are doing about getting out the skills to fabricate floating offshore wind structures in the United Kingdom?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)

That is very much part of our plans. As the hon. Gentleman will know, in March we announced the provision of more than £55 million for the expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth to create offshore wind supply chains in this country, and last week, along with GB Energy, we announced that investment of £300 million in supply chains. We are determined not just to generate offshore wind in Britain, but to take advantage of the huge economic opportunity that it represents.

Answered
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Q2 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
Economy Scotland Energy
Context

The MP mentions Scotland's declining oil and gas industries, a loss of 40% jobs over a decade. She cites warnings from Grangemouth about potential project pauses due to soaring energy bills and income tax pressures.

Question

I hear what the Secretary of State is saying, but Scotland’s declining oil and gas industries have lost 40% of their jobs in the past decade, and today Grangemouth has warned that it may have to pause important projects involving a switch to greener and more sustainable forms of energy because of what it describes as soaring energy bills and the pressures of income tax. We know that Grangemouth needs investment, but it also needs more than the Government are doing at the moment. What intervention are they planning to protect jobs and the communities that could be hollowed out if Grangemouth is not saved?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)

As the hon. Lady will know, we inherited this situation from the last Government, but we set aside £200 million to build the future in Grangemouth and we are working closely with the Scottish Government on precisely that, in a Government-to-Government collaboration. As for the hon. Lady’s wider question about industrial energy prices, we should obviously look at what different sectors are saying.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP's concerns about industrial energy prices and interventions beyond financial investment were not directly addressed with specific actions or commitments.

How: Working Closely With The Scottish Government

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Q3 Brian Leishman Lab Alloa and Grangemouth
Scotland Energy
Context

The MP discusses the end of more than a century of refining at Grangemouth, highlighting it as industrial vandalism. He criticizes both previous Conservative administrations and current SNP governance for failing to address this issue.

Question

Today marks the end of more than a century of refining at Grangemouth. Scotland is once again a victim of industrial vandalism and devastation—and I do not want anyone in this Chamber to dare mention a “just transition”, because we all know that the Conservatives when they were in power, and the Scottish National party currently in Holyrood, have done nothing to avert this catastrophic decision. I put it to the Secretary of State that during the general election campaign the Labour leadership said that they would step in and save the jobs at the refinery. What has changed, and why have we not done the sensible thing for Scotland’s energy security?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)

My hon. Friend is talking about a very important issue, and Grangemouth has a very important role in Scotland. What I will say to him and to others is that as soon as this Government saw the situation that they had inherited, they put money in to help the workers, and they have made that huge investment commitment of £200 million, working hand in hand with the Scottish Government, so that we can build the future in Grangemouth. We are absolutely committed to building the future for Grangemouth communities, and we look forward to working with my hon. Friend and other Members on both sides of the House to do that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP's criticism about a just transition was not directly addressed; instead, the answer focused on government actions and collaborations.

How: Working Hand In Hand With The Scottish Government

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Q4 Euan Stainbank Lab Falkirk
Employment Climate Energy
Context

The MP references International Workers' Memorial Day and highlights the call by a Grangemouth refinery worker for oil and gas workers’ skills not to be considered obsolete but essential for the just transition. He asks about the government's response to Project Willow policy recommendations.

Question

Yesterday was International Workers’ Memorial Day. At a service this weekend in Falkirk, a Grangemouth refinery worker rightly called for oil and gas workers’ skills not to be considered obsolete, but utterly essential for the just transition. What consideration have Ministers given to the urgent policy recommendations in Project Willow to provide accelerated investment in clean energy infrastructure and the jobs it promises for Grangemouth?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)

My hon. Friend, who is also a really powerful advocate for his constituents, is absolutely right. Project Willow was left on the shelf by the previous Government. We put the money in to take Project Willow forward and we are now going to implement it. Absolutely crucial to that is ensuring the skills of oil and gas workers are properly used in the future, including with the skills passport which also lay dormant under the previous Government and which we are powering ahead with.

Answered
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Q5 Claire Young Lib Dem Thornbury and Yate
Education Employment Climate
Context

The MP raises concerns from industry leaders about older workers' lack of motivation to retrain due to a perception that they will only support old technologies. She mentions the impact this has on younger entrants who typically learn skills from experienced workers.

Question

Through my work on the Select Committee, I have heard repeated concerns from industry leaders that existing workers in their 50s and 60s see no point in retraining because they believe they will see out their careers supporting old technologies. That has a knock-on impact on young entrants to the workforce, who have traditionally learnt their skills from more experienced workers. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps he is taking to incentivise retraining to support growth in the renewable energy sector?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Ed Miliband)

The hon. Lady raises a really important point. That is why we are working with the Department for Education to make sure we do not just have a clean power plan that will help to create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country and invest in supply chains, which I talked about earlier, but crucially offer opportunities for younger workers and inspire them about the possibilities that are available, and create opportunities for older workers, too. All that work is ongoing in Government.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific measures to incentivize retraining were not clearly outlined; focus was on creating opportunities for both younger and older workers.

How: Working With The Department For Education

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