Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2023 to Question 185627 on Offshore Industry: Skilled Workers, what recent discussions he has had with (a) employers and (b) trade unions in the offshore wind sector on the effectiveness of the Wind Energy Access Portal in facilitating re-training (a) for offshore oil and gas workers and (b) generally; and whether officials in his Department were involved in the design of the Portal.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Wind Energy Access Portal has been developed by the offshore wind sector and is partnered with RenewableUK, Global Wind Organisation, G+ and SafetyOn.
Officials are engaging with industry through the Offshore Wind Industry Council on how industry is facilitating the transition of skilled workers into the offshore wind sector.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much energy is generated in total by councils and local authorities per annum; and if he will publish (a) a list of the councils and local authorities which generate their own power and (b) a breakdown of the amount of energy generated per annum by each of those authorities.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The information requested is not available, as local authorities are not required to report on these matters to national government.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many full-time equivalent hours officials in (a) his Department and (b) the predecessor Department have spent working on the alignment of training standards between the offshore (i) oil and gas and (ii) wind sectors in each year from 2018 to date.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department does not hold this information. Skills and training standards are not a primary responsibility of the Department, and instead this falls to the Department for Education and is a devolved matter in Scotland and Wales.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of workers in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland who hold valid certification to work in both the offshore (i) oil and gas and (ii) wind industries in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government does not hold information on the number of workers who hold valid certification to work in both the offshore oil and gas and wind industries.
The offshore oil and gas sector’s trade body Offshore Energies UK produces an annual Workforce Insight Report that includes estimates of total numbers of offshore oil and gas workers. Their 2022 report can be found here: https://oilandgasuk.cld.bz/Workforce-Insight-2022-OEUK.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the average cost to an offshore oil and gas worker of re-training for employment in the offshore wind sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department does not hold information on the cost of oil and gas workers re-training for employment in the offshore wind sector.
Through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the sector has committed to making it easier for workers to move between offshore renewables and oil and gas sectors, and it is working on the development of an Energy Skills Passport. In 2022, the sector launched a Wind Energy Access Portal which sets out clear information on training requirements to access work in the offshore wind industry.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with representatives of the offshore wind industry on recognising the energy skills passport being delivered by OPITO.
Answered by Graham Stuart
No such discussions have taken place. Under the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the Offshore Wind Industry Council committed to explore passporting of qualifications between different offshore sectors. The sector is developing an Energy Skills Passport to support workers moving between offshore renewables, oil and gas, and maritime contracting.