Shadow Science and Technology Secretary visits Cadent apprentices

Peter Kyle, Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, visited Hitchin on Wednesday [19 June]. The Shadow Minister joined Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Hitchin, Alistair Strathern.

Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network, bringing gas to 11 million homes and businesses. They manage a network of more than 82,000 miles of pipes, most of them underground, which transport gas throughout the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South Yorkshire, East of England and North London.

Peter Kyle and Alistair Strathern visited Cadent and met senior leaders from the company and apprentices. They also saw a new Picarro leak detector car and a vehicle powered by hydrogen.

These commitments, which are two of Labour’s first steps for change, include creating thousands of new skilled jobs as part of the Green Prosperity Plan and recruiting 6,5000 new teachers in key subjects. The net zero carbon industries have an average annual wage £8,200 higher than this region’s average income.

Peter Kyle said:

“Labour’s clean power mission will lead to lower bills and energy security. Businesses like Cadent are already showing the potential of green hydrogen technologies and its application to our lives today.

“Through apprenticeships and STEM outreach programmes the engineers of the future are also being trained to build the technology that will keep this country safe and secure.”

Alistair Strathern, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hitchin, said:

“As the UK transitions to a brighter, greener, future, the jobs in clean technologies will be highly skilled and apprentices in Hitchin are well placed to exploit these opportunities and compete with the best in the world to secure these roles.

“Labour is promising a Green Prosperity Plan which could see 38,000 new jobs to the East of England. Making sure our young people are ready to take that opportunity head on is vital.”