Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Accepted
Consumer and public sector demand significantly influence skills supply and investment.
Conclusion
Consumer and public sector demand have a significant role to play in increasing the demand for, and therefore exerting influence on the supply of, skills. Longer and more detailed time frames will provide certainty not just for consumers in seeking to adopt technologies but also for employers to invest in the skills needed to develop, manufacture and install them. The demand for the work needs to come first for the investment in skills to follow. (Conclusion, Paragraph 91)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees with the conclusion, citing actions to influence demand and certainty such as cancelling the ECO scheme, shifting energy costs, publishing responses on EPC reform and private rented sector energy standards, and committing to consult on hydrogen for home heating.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The government agrees with this recommendation. Long term policy certainty is a key driver of investment and adoption. Across the economy, industry investment into skills has been falling in recent years with evidence suggesting significant underinvestment into skills compared to our European peers. Skills England is working towards becoming the single, authoritative voice on current and future skills needs. In aligning national and regional skills planning to long-term government growth and opportunity missions, Skills England is building long-term certainty for the skills system. The workforce modelling included within the Jobs Plan is built on the expected deployment of clean energy technologies over the coming years as a result of Spending Review Outcomes and policies included in the Clean Power Action Plan and Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan. We will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to further refine this analysis. We have set out our clean energy public investment plans through the Clean Energy Industries Sector plan which sets out a 10-year strategy through to 2035 to secure domestic supply chains, support jobs, and build a clean energy system through doubling clean energy investment to £30bn per year. The Carbon Budget Growth and Delivery Plan sets out plans through to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 to achieve intended reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and achieve sustainable growth.
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