Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Oil and Gas Sector: Employment

Wednesday 10 June 2026 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Alison Griffiths questioned the Labour Government's impact on the North Sea energy sector employment.
  • The UK Labour Government invested 120 million to secure the future of the Grangemouth industrial cluster.
  • Andrew Bowie asked about discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding employment levels in Scotland's oil and gas sector.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alison Griffiths Con Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Employment Energy
Context

The MP is concerned about businesses in her constituency that depend on contracts linked to the North Sea energy sector. She mentions skilled workers leaving the industry due to government policies.

Question

Many businesses in my Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency depend on contracts linked to the North sea energy sector. With this Labour Government driving disinvestment and deindustrialisation, skilled workers are fleeing the industry. Every Member in this House will have constituents whose employment relies on this wider supply chain. Does the Secretary of State understand the chilling effect that his Government's policies are having on business confidence and investment in this vital industry?

Answer from Douglas Alexander

It seems to have slipped the hon. Lady's mind that the energy profits levy was introduced by the previous Conservative Government. It also seems to have slipped her mind that fully a third of the jobs in the North sea were lost during the Conservative Government's time in office. They failed time and time again to come up with any credible plan. The status quo of that lost decade was 70,000 fewer jobs in the North sea.

Not addressed: The MP asked about the current government's policies, but the answerer criticized the previous Conservative government instead.

How: Criticising The Opposition

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Q2 Alison Griffiths Con Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Economy Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP mentions job losses at Grangemouth due to the closure of the refinery. He highlights the UK Labour Government's £120 million investment and asks about efforts to secure a new industry.

Question

Jobs were lost at Grangemouth following Jim Ratcliffe's decision to close the refinery. The then Tory Ministers, half of whom are now members of Reform, treated it as a commercial decision, and did and delivered nothing. In contrast, the UK Labour Government invested £120 million in December to save Grangemouth's ethylene plant, but given the closure of the refinery, we must move far more quickly. What efforts is the Secretary of State making to deliver a new industry in Grangemouth with the £200 million allocated to the site by the Labour Government?

Answer from Douglas Alexander

I assure my hon. Friend that, together with officials, I am actively engaged in efforts to secure the future of the Grangemouth industrial cluster, and I was central to the UK Government's commitment of £120 million last December to secure the future of the wider site. In December last year, funding of up to £3 million was announced for the Scottish biotech company MiAlgae, which is expected to create up to 310 jobs over the next five years.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP asked about specific efforts and a timeline for delivering a new industry in Grangemouth, but the answerer only mentioned ongoing engagement and existing funding without providing concrete details on future actions or timelines.

How: General Statements

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Q3 Euan Stainbank Lab Falkirk
Economy Employment Energy
Context

The MP lists companies that have announced redundancies in Scotland's oil and gas industry. He criticizes the government for failing to address these issues.

Question

The list grows longer every week: BP, Hunting, Harbour, Chevron, Well-Safe, Petrofac, Ithaca, Xodus and EnerMech have all announced redundancies in Scotland's oil and gas industry. For some unfathomable reason, this Labour Government seem to think that everything is fine, but is it not the truth that they are carrying out the wilful destruction of this country's domestic oil and gas industry, sacrificing thousands of jobs and making the country poorer and less secure?

Answer from Douglas Alexander

History did not begin in July 2024. The hon. Gentleman can run, but he cannot hide from his record: 70,000 jobs lost in the North sea under the Conservatives, the energy profits levy introduced by the Conservatives, and zero plans for the North sea under the Conservatives.

Not addressed: The MP asked about current government policies, but the answerer criticized previous Conservative policies instead.

How: Criticising The Opposition

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Q4 Andrew Bowie Con West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Scotland Energy
Context

The MP mentions an upcoming referendum in Aberdeen where voters will choose between drilling with the Conservatives or decline with Labour/SNP.

Question

It is clear that Labour Members just do not get it—or worse, they just do not care. A week tomorrow, there will be a referendum on our oil and gas industry in Aberdeen, and the choice could not be clearer. Only one party is standing up for the granite city, for Scotland's energy industry and for Britain's energy security, and that is the Conservative and Unionist Party. The Secretary of State must agree that in Aberdeen next week the choice will be clear: vote to get Britain drilling with the Conservatives, or vote for decline and job losses with Labour or the SNP.

Answer from Douglas Alexander

That was rather more like a party election broadcast than a question. As always, I would recommend the good voters of Aberdeen to vote Scottish Labour.

Not addressed: The MP asked for an opinion on the referendum choice, but the answerer criticized the Conservative Party and suggested voting for Scottish Labour instead.

How: Criticising The Opposition

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Q5 Andrew Bowie Con West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
Employment Scotland Energy
Context

The MP asks about discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding employment levels in Scotland's oil and gas sector.

Question

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on levels of employment in the oil and gas sector in Scotland.

Answer from Douglas Alexander

I have ongoing discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the oil and gas sector's future in Scotland, focusing on ensuring that our oil and gas workers have a future as part of our transition to clean energy. Indeed, the Chancellor and I met oil and gas sector leaders earlier this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP asked about specific discussions regarding employment levels, but the answerer only mentioned general discussions on the future of the sector without providing concrete details or commitments.

How: General Statements

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