Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of solar procurement decisions on UK-based manufacturing capacity and employment within the domestic solar supply chain.

Accelerating solar deployment presents valuable opportunities for employment and growth in the domestic supply chain. Our Solar Roadmap estimated that solar could support up to 35,000 UK jobs by 2030.

Key areas for growth include developing cutting-edge solar technologies, including perovskite and thin film panels. The Roadmap includes actions for government and industry to further support companies to increase production of these parts. .

The UK also has a strong electrical manufacturing sector, which could provide vital balance of system components. These are included in our Industrial Strategy, which has identified advanced manufacturing and clean energy industries as priority growth sectors.