Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the sale of fossil fuels in international energy markets on his Department’s support for North Sea oil operations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Oil and gas is traded on international markets, therefore domestically produced oil and gas does not mean cheaper prices and leaves British consumers exposed to unstable fossil fuel markets. On 5 March the Government launched a consultation that progresses the commitment to not issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields while managing existing fields for their lifespan. It also sets out the next steps to make the North Sea a world leading example of an offshore clean energy industry, which is vital for delivering the best outcomes for workers and communities, energy security, and sustainable economic growth.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support a just transition for workers in the oil and gas sector; and what steps he has taken to support (a) retraining and (b) reskilling them for jobs in the renewable energy industry.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office of Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ) is engaging widely with industry, experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition.
The OCEJ will also set out targeted interventions to support specific skills needs in the clean energy workforce. It has recently launched the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport to support oil and gas workers into new roles in the clean energy sector like offshore wind. In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS and Hydrogen.