Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
North Sea energy transition plan urgently required but progress remains slow.
Conclusion
A coherent transition plan for the North Sea is urgently needed. While we recognise that the Government has been in power for 15 months, plans are not yet in place and the transition is already well underway. The Government’s consultation, Building the North Sea’s Energy Future, which commits to producing a plan in dialogue with industry, trade unions and communities, is a welcome start but is moving too slowly. (Conclusion, Paragraph 89)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the urgent need for a coherent transition plan and confirms the publication of its 'North Sea Future Plan' in November, further committing to establish a minister-led delivery board in early 2026 to oversee progress.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government partially agrees with recommendation 12. The government agrees with the importance of delivering a coherent transition plan. We committed in our manifesto to securing a long-term future for the North Sea. Following the consultation, “Building the North Sea’s energy future” we published our government response - the North Sea Future Plan - in November. This sets out pragmatic steps to secure and renew the North Sea’s place as Britain’s powerhouse that will both protect good jobs in our oil and gas heartlands and build the next generation of good jobs. The North Sea is one of Britain’s greatest industrial success stories, with world-renowned offshore expertise that has powered the country for over 60 years. But declining oil and gas reserves and 70,000 jobs lost in the last decade means there is an urgent need to act now to manage the declining North Sea basin and retain its world-class offshore expertise. After years of inaction, we are taking pragmatic steps that will ensure existing oil and gas production continues as an essential part of our energy mix for decades to come – while actively scaling up clean energy industries here in the North Sea. The North Sea Future Plan sets out a clear path to grow clean energy industries, support the management of existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan, and help North Sea workers and communities make the transition. As part of this Plan, we have also set out a suite of measures to help the oil and gas workforce transition into new sectors, set out in the response to recommendation 13. These measures build upon the package of support set out in the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, set out in the response to recommendation 18. As part of the Clean Energy Jobs Plan we will monitor clean energy jobs and skills trends from publication and provide regular updates in delivering the objectives of the Jobs Plan. We are determined to maintain momentum. That is why the Plan includes a commitment to set up a minister-led delivery board to oversee the progress, coordination and long-term planning of the North Sea’s industrial transition. The new North Sea Future Board will be made up of experts from the oil and gas industry, renewable industries, trade unions and local government. It will include representation from geographical areas affected by the North Sea’s energy transition, including the northeast of Scotland, who will be able to speak directly to the challenges faced by these communities. The Board will meet for the first time in early 2026. One of the Board’s objectives will be to review progress against the actions in the North Sea Future Plan.