Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress he has made on establishing the Office for Clean Energy Jobs; and when he plans to publish its terms of reference.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for Clean Energy Jobs (‘the Office’) has been established within DESNZ. The Office will focus on developing a skilled workforce in core energy and net zero sectors, crucial to meeting our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. Recognising the critical workforce challenges within the energy transition, the Office is dedicated to ensuring that clean energy jobs are not only abundant, but also of high quality, focussing on fair pay, favourable terms, and good working conditions.
The Office is actively engaging with key stakeholders, including trade unions and industry leaders, to keep job quality at the forefront of our efforts. Grangemouth will be among the first areas that the Office will work with, as part of the joint UK and Scottish Government investment plan. DESNZ will also come on board as a strategic partner to develop a skills passport to support workers to transition to the clean energy sector.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Buses Bill would make local authority trade companies eligible to bid for bus franchises.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this session. This will put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, ensuring networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The Bill will increase powers available to local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, high-quality partnerships with private operators or local authority ownership. The Department is currently working to finalise the exact scope of the Buses Bill.