Energy joins industry in new government department

Greg Clark heads the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which was created as part of a government reorganisation following the Brexit vote and the arrival of a new Prime Minister, Theresa May, in July. Clark becomes the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The abolition of a ministry dedicated to energy and climate change (DECC) is seen by many as a step backwards in terms of British efforts to combat climate change. Others argue that energy industry matters, at least, are now discussed within a much larger and more influential department – time will tell.

The new ministerial portfolios reflect the key priorities for the department, said BEIS, to develop a comprehensive industrial strategy; continuing to ensure the UK remains at the cutting-edge of science, research and innovation; tackling climate change; and ensuring affordable, clean and secure energy supply for the UK.

Other BEIS ministers are:

• Nick Hurd, Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry;
• Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State for Energy and Intellectual Property; and
• Jesse Norman, Minister for Industry and Energy.

Former Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd is the new Home Secretary, while former Minister of State at DECC, Andrea Leadsom is now the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Rudd was just the fourth Energy and Climate Change Secretary since the creation of DECC in 2008, following Labour’s Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrats Chris Huhne and Ed Davey. Both Miliband and Davey criticised the apparent shift of focus away from climate change represented by the abolition of DECC.

Before her departure to the Home Office, then Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said that the government remains committed to tackling climate change, but that the referendum decision to leave the European Union has not helped. Speaking shortly after the result was announced, Rudd said: ‘While I think the UK’s role in dealing with a warming planet may have been made harder by the decision last Thursday, our commitment to dealing with it has not gone away.’