Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to take steps to fund retrofitting manufacturing and construction skills to encourage retrofitting of domestic housing in the context of the energy divestment plans and climate challenge.

The Government recognises the need for a skilled, competent and robust supply chain to deliver the improvements to buildings necessary to meet its net zero targets.

The Department spent almost £6 million on a skills training competition which delivered around 7000 training courses for the energy efficiency and low carbon heating supply chains.

The Government has also provided £4.7 million of funding over a period of two and a half years to six local supply chain demonstration pilots. These pilots tested innovative approaches for supporting and growing the energy efficiency installer supply chain.

The Government will continue to monitor the market and its response to interventions and is considering options to work with the industry to support training in key skills shortage areas and new routes of entry to increase capacity.