Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Paragraph: 106
We recommend that the cooperative approach between the UK and Scottish Governments on skills training...
Recommendation
We recommend that the cooperative approach between the UK and Scottish Governments on skills training and jobs continues, not least because of the mixture of reserved and devolved competencies when it comes to energy, education and skills. On at least a biannual basis, the UK and Scottish Governments should jointly set out work they are undertaking to ensure that colleges, training providers and businesses within the hydrogen and CCUS sectors are able to offer appropriate routes into employment and training, and providing this information should be viewed as a priority. Incorporated into this analysis, both the UK and Scottish Governments should also provide regular updates on progress against their estimated jobs forecasts in the medium term.
Government Response Summary
The UK Government states it is already supporting green jobs, skills and industries through the North Sea Transition Deal and the Integrated People and Skills Strategy, which was published by OPITO, and that the Hydrogen Sector Development Plan (2022) also covers these issues.
Paragraph Reference:
106
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The following is a combined response to recommendations 20, 21 & 22: The UK Government is committed to supporting green jobs, skills and industries. The UK Government will enable workers, places and sectors to transition and develop a skilled workforce through support of the North Sea Transition Deal. A key commitment of the North Sea Transition Deal is to support the transition of existing parts of the oil and gas workforce to ensure that people and skills are transferable across the wider energy sector. To achieve this, Government has supported the development of an Integrated People and Skills Strategy, which was published by the skills body OPITO in May 2022 following wide engagement across the offshore energy sectors. It creates a joined-up approach to people and skills right across the offshore energy industry and sets out how the workforce’s skills and capabilities can be redeployed to benefit the UK’s decarbonisation efforts. Ensuring there are the right skills and capabilities will be critical to achieving our hydrogen ambition. The Hydrogen Sector Development Plan (2022) sets out the government’s aim to work with industry and education providers to understand the skills landscape and build the workforce of the future. As set out in the Government Response to the Net Zero Review, Government and industry also continue to engage with all aspects of the CCUS supply chain, through the CCUS Council Supply Chain working group chaired by Lord Hutton. The CCUS Council’s supply chain activity will support the UK to develop a CCUS supply chain that utilizes the UK’s skills and delivers a high proportion of UK jobs, delivering significant benefits to regional economies in the UK’s industrial heartlands.