Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Energy Jobs: Yorkshire and the Humber

Tuesday 6 January 2026 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Mr Luke Charters asked about York College's potential to become a clean energy technical excellence college.
  • Martin Vickers inquired about job losses at the Lindsey oil refinery due to changes in ownership and operations.
  • The Secretary of State acknowledged the tragedy of job losses at Lindsey and placed responsibility with the previous business owners.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Charters Lab York Outer
Education Climate Energy
Context

The context is job creation in the energy sector for Yorkshire and the Humber region, where there are opportunities across offshore wind, hydrogen, nuclear, and other areas.

Question

I am proud of York College in my constituency, where talented students are mastering apprenticeships that will power our clean energy future. York College is considering becoming a clean energy technical excellence college under the outstanding leadership of Ken Merry. Will the Secretary of State welcome that and visit the college to see how it leads the way in further education in preparing for the clean energy jobs of the future?

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

I congratulate York College on its work. I know from my constituency in Doncaster, where we are to get a second university technical college specialising in green skills, the importance of that and the excitement of young people about this future. By turning their backs on clean energy, the Opposition turn their backs on young people.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary did not explicitly commit to supporting York College's initiative or visiting the college.

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Q2 Martin Vickers Con Brigg and Immingham
Employment Energy
Context

The context involves job losses at the Lindsey oil refinery, where Axiom and others submitted bids to continue production. However, a deal was made with Phillips 66 that transfers assets but not the business.

Question

Sadly, it is not job creation that faces many of my constituents, particularly those who work at the Lindsey oil refinery. The Secretary of State knows that Axiom and others submitted bids that would have continued production at the refinery. Instead, we now have a deal with Phillips 66 that transfers the assets but not the business. Will he undertake to make a statement to the House and to answer the many unanswered questions that surround the deal?

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

First of all, what happened at Lindsey—we should be clear that the responsibility lies with the owner, which ran the business into the ground—is tragic for the workers and their families, and I have talked to those workers. The hon. Gentleman will know—my hon. Friend the Energy Minister has spoken to him about this—that the process involved the official receiver, who looked for the best and most viable bid, but there was no viable bid to keep refining going at Lindsey. That is why P66 was chosen, and we are determined to work with the company to maximise the number of jobs that it can deliver for the local community.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary did not commit to making a statement in the House but acknowledged the situation and provided some context.

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