Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Renewable Energy Jobs

Tuesday 6 January 2026 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Christine Jardine raised concern about job losses in the oil and gas sector and highlighted the importance of transitioning workers to green jobs.
  • Torcuil Crichton welcomed the Government's actions to clean up the grid connection queue for community-owned wind farms in his constituency.
  • Llinos Medi inquired about the removal of the tidal stream ringfence and cuts to emerging technology funding in the latest contracts for difference round.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
Employment Climate Energy
Context

The MP is concerned about job losses in the oil and gas sector outweighing new jobs in clean energy. She notes a rapid decline in oil and gas employment, with workers moving abroad.

Question

I appreciate the Minister’s answer. Those 40,000 jobs are vital, but they are still outnumbered by the many thousands of jobs in the oil and gas sector. The rate of job losses there is accelerating, and people are increasingly going abroad, creating a concern that the skills necessary for the green transition will be lost. What will the Government do to create transitional training and job movement within those two sectors?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)

This Government recognise the importance of the North sea oil and gas industry, and the importance of oil and gas for decades to come, but we also recognise that the North sea is a declining basin. That is why we published our North sea plan, which supports the transition of workers in the North sea into clean energy jobs, and why we are investing in our clean industry bonus, which incentivises businesses that are investing in offshore wind to ensure that those offshore wind jobs are located here in the UK—a fundamental difference between this Labour Government and the previous Conservative Government, who were happy for those jobs to be based in other countries in Europe.

Answered
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Q2 Torcuil Crichton Lab Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Climate Energy
Context

The MP mentions community-owned wind farm projects in his constituency that are stalled due to issues with the national grid. He suggests that without direct intervention, these projects will not proceed.

Question

When it comes to creating clean jobs and local wealth, there is no better example than the community-owned wind farm sector in my Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency. I welcome what the Government have done to clean up the grid connection queue, but the community-owned wind farm sector in my constituency is still stalled and cannot get access to the national grid. The National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and private companies all want to promote community energy, but unless Ministers direct the regulators and grid operators to give priority to community-owned wind farms, that will not happen. I would like to discuss this issue with Ministers, but I also ask them to come and see how community-owned wind farms create wealth and clean jobs in my area.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)

We do recognise the previous issues around grid connections, and accelerating and prioritising connections is something that this Government have taken by the scruff of the neck. I am sure that the Energy Minister will be very happy to meet my hon. Friend—I think we will have a bit of fight to see which of us has the opportunity to visit his most beautiful part of the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Directing regulators and grid operators

How: Working With Partners

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Q3 Llinos Medi PC Ynys Môn
Economy Energy
Context

The MP is concerned about the removal of tidal stream ringfencing and cuts in emerging technology funding from the contracts for difference budget, impacting projects such as Morlais in Ynys Môn.

Question

The contracts for difference budget is vital for job creation and the growth of the marine energy sector, yet the latest round removed the tidal stream ringfence and cut emerging technology funding. Can the Minister explain why these changes were made, and will he meet me to discuss how marine energy projects, such as Morlais in Ynys Môn, can get the support they need to succeed?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)

Tidal stream is important—I want to be clear about that. We are keen to support it, and we are doing so. The hon. Member mentioned the importance of contracts for difference in supporting marine energy. I previously mentioned the clean industry bonus, and that is exactly how we are doing it: we are using the contracts for difference policy in order to ensure that, through the clean industry bonus, those jobs land in the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Explanation of changes to CFD budget

How: Working With Partners

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Q4 Brian Leishman Lab Alloa and Grangemouth
Energy Business & Trade
Context

The MP highlights successful job-saving efforts at a chemical industry site, but calls for more investment. He suggests that a sustainable aviation fuel-producing refinery could provide further employment opportunities.

Question

The Labour Government did excellent work just before Christmas in saving 500 jobs in the chemical industry at Grangemouth. That was real Labour party values in action, but we need to do more. How about investing in or, to be really radical, owning a sustainable aviation fuel-producing refinery at the site? The infrastructure is there, the need for SAF is there, and my people need jobs.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)

I thank my hon. Friend for welcoming that news. I know it was a really big day for him, and his dogged determination to champion his constituents is seen both in his constituency and here in this House. We are supporting Grangemouth, and the MiAlgae project, which was announced by the Chancellor in the Budget, is exactly along the lines that he mentions. He talks about investment in sustainable aviation fuel. Many private companies want to invest in sustainable aviation fuel in Grangemouth, in Teesside, in Humberside and across the whole of the UK, and I am sure we will see more such plants in the future.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Investment or ownership by government

How: Private Investment

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