Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy

Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 11 Nov 2024 Parliament page
The committee has launched an inquiry on how to build the workforce that is needed to deliver the policies and infrastructure for the UK’s clean, secure energy mission. The inquiry aims to: explore the difficulties in recruiting and retraining the workforce to deliver a clean energy sector and retrofit homes … Read more
20 Recommendations
7 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
27 Feb
2026
Report published
5 Dec
2025
Report published
13 May
2025
Oral evidence
13 May
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
30 Apr
2025
Oral evidence
30 Apr
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
26 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
26 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
5 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
5 Mar
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
13 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Hugo Jones · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Sarah Jones MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
30 Apr 2025
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Oral evidence
Jodie Coe · Northern Powergrid Leah Robson · Your Energy Your Way Sue Ferns · Prospect Trade Union Tom Jarman · Low Carbon Journey
26 Mar 2025
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Oral evidence
Andrew Hockey · Engineering Construction Industry Training Board Anna Markova · Trades Union Congress Brian Berry · Federation of Master Builders David Hughes CBE · Association of Colleges James Fotherby · Aldersgate Group Katy Heidenreich · Offshore Energies UK Simon Ayers MBE · TrustMark Tim Balcon · Construction Industry Training Board
5 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Dr Christian Calvillo · University of Strathclyde Dr Richard Hanna · Imperial College London Professor James Robson · University of Oxford
Title HC No. Published Items Response
6th Report - Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy HC 393 5 Dec 2025 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Explore Danish measures for skills shortages and initiate work on home-grown talent for clean energy.
There may be a need for the import of some specific skills from overseas, at least in the short term, to deliver on targets for clean energy and the decarbonisation of buildings. We heard of significant efforts by the Danish … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, prioritising domestic skill growth while acknowledging exceptional cases for skilled workers from abroad, and points to existing initiatives like the Immigration White Paper, Labour Market Evidence Group, and an increased Immigration Skills Charge to fund domestic upskilling. It does not commit to exploring Danish government measures beyond current plans.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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4 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Expand Skills Passports and establish commitments for energy sector workforce transition and support targets.
The Government must continue to tackle barriers preventing existing energy sector workers transitioning successfully. Skills Passports and associated funding should be expanded. The Government in its response to us should propose how the transferability of skills across traditional boundaries and … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees broadly with the recommendation, committing to the Warm Homes Plan's £15 billion investment projected to create 240,000 jobs by 2030, and establishing a taskforce with the TUC to facilitate worker transition. However, it does not explicitly address the expansion of Skills Passports, proposals for skill transferability via accreditation, or specific commitments with targets within Contracts for Difference mechanisms.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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8 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Instruct the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to tackle uncertainty and encourage retrofit skills investment.
In our Report on retrofitting homes for net zero we concluded that there was a reluctance to invest in courses that were associated with, among other things, uncertainty and weak promotion of careers. The Office for Clean Energy Jobs should … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, stating it will monitor regional skills pilots, evaluate their impact, publish a response to a qualifications consultation, and continues to fund the Careers & Enterprise Company to support careers education.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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16 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Require Government to report on Regional Skills Pilots' success by summer 2026 for expansion.
The Government must demonstrate how it is working with employers and the education sector to deliver clear career pathways, particularly for those workers who will not go through the technical excellence colleges. It should report on the success of the … Read more
Government Response
The government will closely monitor the outcomes of the Regional Skills Pilots and commission an independent evaluation, publish a response to the consultation on V Levels, and Skills England will continue to work with employers when developing occupational standards.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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21 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Robustly and regularly evaluate publicly funded skills schemes addressing workforce shortages.
Targeting consumer demand on its own is necessary but not sufficient and public funding is needed aimed at addressing the supply of skills directly. The commitments in the Spending Review and Industrial Strategy are welcome as is the direction of … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, intending to ensure fair work and skills requirements are considered in commercial contracts and grants where feasible, and that conditionality will be carefully considered case-by-case, recognizing existing requirements for departments to have due regard to equality.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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25 Recommendation Accepted in Part
6th Report - Workforce planning to…
Publish thorough impact assessment before mandating skilled labour in clean energy retrofit procurement
The Government should carry out and publish a thorough impact assessment before deciding to use conditionality as a policy lever in procurement to mandate skilled labour requirements in contracts for clean energy retrofit works in public sector buildings. (Recommendation, Paragraph … Read more
Government Response
The government intends to ensure that fair work, skills and sustainable supply chain requirements are considered by default in commercial contracts and grants, where it is feasible and appropriate to do so; it will not require the publication of an impact assessment.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 20 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 8
Not Addressed 2
Total 20 recs + 7 conclusions