Committee publication · Special Report · 27 February 2026 · HC 1704
5th Special Report - Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy: Government Response
Summary
This government response to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee's December 2025 report on workforce planning accepts or partially accepts all 22 recommendations. The government outlines its strategy to grow clean energy jobs from 440,000 to 860,000 by 2030 through £1.2 billion annual skills investment, expanded transition support for oil and gas workers, and targeted retrofit workforce development. Key mechanisms include the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, North Sea Jobs Service, Warm Homes Plan, and coordination through the Office for Clean Energy Jobs.
Key findings
- Government commits £1.2 billion additional annual skills investment by 2028–29 and £182 million over 4 years for Engineering Skills Package to create workforce pipeline for clean energy sectors.
- Clean energy jobs projected to grow from 440,000 in 2023 to 860,000 by end of decade; retrofit jobs alone to increase from 60,000 to 240,000 by 2030, spread across all UK regions.
- North Sea Jobs Service announced to provide end-to-end career transition support for oil and gas workers; over 90% of UK oil and gas workforce has medium-to-high transferability skills for offshore renewables.
- Government partially accepts recommendations on skilled immigration conditionality and procurement mandates, citing Better Regulation Framework constraints, but commits to Labour Market Evidence Group linking migration policy to skills strategies.
- Warm Homes Plan published 21 January 2026 targeting £15 billion investment, 5 million home upgrades, and 1 million families lifted from fuel poverty by 2030, with taskforce partnership with TUC on workforce development.
Government position
The government accepts six of the eight core recommendations in full (Recs 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 18, 20) and partially accepts four (Recs 2, 3, 8, 21). On Rec 2, it agrees in principle to promote clean energy careers among underrepresented groups but cites Post-16 Education White Paper timescales as constraints. On Rec 3 (skilled immigration conditionality), it rejects new conditionality measures beyond those in the May 2025 Immigration White Paper, though establishes Labour Market Evidence Group to link migration to skills policies and increased Immigration Skills Charge by 32%. On Rec 8 (career pathways beyond technical colleges), it agrees to monitor Regional Skills Pilots but notes qualification reform consultations are ongoing. On Rec 21 (impact assessment for procurement conditionality), it partially agrees, arguing the Better Regulation Framework does not require publication of formal impact assessments, though commits to case-by-case consideration and clear communication of rationale. Government emphasises whole-of-system coordination via Office for Clean Energy Jobs, Skills England, devolved governments, and industry partnerships, with 10-year policy horizons for long-term certainty.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Office for Clean Energy Jobs, Skills England, Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, Office for Clean Energy Jobs, TUC (Trades Union Congress), Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), Construction Skills Mission Board
Notable line
“… the number of jobs supported by clean energy industries could almost triple in Scotland and at least double in Wales, Northern Ireland and almost every region of England …”
Key Quotes
“… the number of jobs supported by clean energy industries could almost triple in Scotland and at least double in Wales, Northern Ireland and almost every region of England, as the sector grows from around 440,000 jobs in 2023 to support 860,000 jobs across the UK by the end of the decade.”
“… over 90% of the UK's oil and gas workforce have skills that have medium to high transferability to the offshore renewables, making them well-positioned to transition.”
“We will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to further refine this analysis.”
“We do not currently plan other labour conditionality measures beyond those we set out in the IWP, however we keep all our policies under review to ensure they are working effectively in the best interests of the UK.”
“Over time, the Warm Homes Plan is projected to increase the number of jobs supported in energy efficiency and clean heating from 60,000 in 2023, to up to 240,000 in”
“However, in line with the Better Regulation Framework Guidance set out by the Department for Business and Trade, the use of conditionality within procurement or grant funding frameworks would not be within scope of requiring the publication of an impact assessment.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗