Member

Linked to that, Amendment 36A in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, would require the Secretary of State to publish a report on the use of powers transferred under the Act to address green skills needs. The noble Lord is absolutely right: green skills are vital to the Government’s primary objective of long-term sustainable growth—growth that is aligned with our net-zero and environmental objectives and with our mission to make Britain a clean-energy superpower. Extensive work to address green skills needs has already taken place under this Government. Shadow Skills England included an assessment of green skills in its publication in September, and it will build on this in future reports, including through an assessment of the skills needs in sectors, as I mentioned earlier. Green skills will be vital in all those sectors, not just as a specific area standing alone. Although we recognise the vital importance of green skills, the effect of this amendment would be to prioritise reporting on them ahead of those needed by other important sectors.