Climate Change Minister Greg Barker has launched a partnership to ensure the UK has the right skills to implement the Green Deal, the government's flagship policy to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.

The Green Deal aims to enable private firms to offer consumers energy improvements to their homes, communities and businesses at no upfront cost and to recoup payments as a charge in instalments on the energy bill.

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The Green Deal Skills Alliance (GDSA), officially launched by the Minister, is working to create new training and accreditation for the energy assessment, advice and installation workforce – the people who will carry out the improvements. The GDSA is made up of three Sector Skills Councils - Asset Skills, ConstructionSkills and SummitSkills.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "The success of the Green Deal will, in part, come down to having people who have the right skills and knowledge to instill trust. The Green Deal Skills Alliance will help industry face the challenges ahead so people get the right training and qualifications they will need in order to gain work under the Green Deal."

The Green Deal is due to launch in October and could see uptake within 14 million homes and create 65,000 jobs by 2015.

(CD/GK)