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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs that (a) have been and (b) will be retained as a result of (i) UK private, (ii) Government and (iii) inward investment as part of the Government's plans to advance offshore wind between November 2020 and November 2030.

Investment by the Government as part of plans to Build Back Greener by making the UK a world leader in wind energy, including support for manufacturing infrastructure, is directly supporting the retention of green jobs in the UK. Smulders Projects UK, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and JDR Cables have recently announced major investments in the UK offshore wind sector that will safeguard jobs.

The offshore wind sector currently employs around 7,200 people and supports a similar number of indirect jobs. Government schemes supporting renewables deployment in the UK, such as Contracts for Difference, and Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support Scheme, support investment and employment in the sector. This could support around 30,000 jobs by 2030.