Committees

Is the UK on track for 2 million green jobs by 2030? EAC to quiz four Ministers

7 June 2021

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will be holding its final evidence session as part of the Green Jobs inquiry, hearing from Ministers of BEIS, DEFRA, DfE and DWP.

The Government has announced that it hopes to create two million green jobs across the UK by 2030. This represents a tenfold increase on the current figure of 225,000 jobs in the UK’s low-carbon technology and renewable energy economy estimated by the Office for National Statistics.

During the inquiry, the EAC has heard how the Government’s target shows the right level of ambition to meet our environmental goals, but Ministers need to be more forthcoming with setting targets to drive inward investment to support the jobs long-term. The Committee was also told that the skills pipeline is needed in place now to support the net zero transition, and that ensuring diversity and inclusion in the green workforce must be a priority.

The Government led Green Jobs Taskforce is expected to publish a green jobs and skills action plan, which was due for completion in the Spring.

Witnesses

Wednesday 9 June 2021

At 2.30pm:

  • Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency and Minister of State (Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
            o Accompanied by: Amy Jenkins, Deputy Director, Clean Growth, Green Finance and Sustainable behaviours for Net Zero, BEIS

  • Gillian Keegan MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills), Department for Education (DfE)
            o Accompanied by: Sinead O’Sullivan, Director, Career Learning, Analysis and Skills Directorate, DfE

  • Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
            o Accompanied by: Jon Boswell, Head of Strategic Funding, Green Finance division, DEFRA

  • Mims Davies MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Employment), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
            o Accompanied by: Jessica Hodgson, Deputy Director, Labour Market Strategy, DWP

Further information

  • Please note there is no public access to Parliament
  • Session will have remote participation by witnesses and Committee members

Image: Markus Distelrath from Pixabay