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 identify skills gaps in the retrofit industry; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) supporting the expansion of high-quality training and (b) providing funding for long-term capacity.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will deliver growth to our economy, good jobs for our communities, and opportunities for innovation. The number of additional jobs supported in energy efficiency and clean heating is projected to be up to 180,000 by 2030. The Plan outlines the actions the government is taking to support retrofit skills development including launching the £8 million Warm Homes Skills Programme, extending the Heat Training Grant by allocating a further £21 million until March 2029, and establishing a Workforce Taskforce to facilitate the transition to a diverse, skilled and resilient workforce for existing workers and new entrants.