Department of Energy and Climate Change

This article is part of the Climate project of Spinwatch.

Background

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) says it aims to create a “thriving, globally competitive, low carbon energy economy” in the UK. It is responsible for nuclear energy policy and describes nuclear as “low-carbon, affordable, dependable [and] safe”. In his first major cabinet position, Ed Miliband created a high profile for the department aided by the bipartisanship offered by David Cameron who rallied his colleagues in support of the Climate Change Act. Miliband is said to have ‘raised the department’s international ambition and took a key role in the UN negotiations in Copenhagen.’

This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

It runs the Office for Nuclear Development which “focuses on removing potential barriers to investment, and signals clearly to the industry the serious intent of the Government to push forward nuclear new build.”

History

DECC was created in 2008 by Gordon Brown and brought together much of the Climate Change Group, previously housed within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), with the Energy Group from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Controversies, criticisms and conflicts of interest

Spinning Fukushima nuclear meltdown

On 7 April 2011, the DECC's Office for Nuclear Development invited companies to attend a meeting at the lobby group Nuclear Industry Association (NIA)'s London headquarters as part of a public relations strategy to play down the Fukushima nuclear accident. The aim was 'to discuss a joint communications and engagement strategy aimed at ensuring we maintain confidence among the British public on the safety of nuclear power stations and nuclear new-build policy in light of recent events at the Fukushima nuclear power plant'.

Nuclear industry secondees

In February 2013 Freedom of Information requests by Spinwatch revealed that Rolls-Royce, which describes itself as 'part of the UK's nuclear industry for the past 50 years' had lent DECC their employee Sophie Macfarlane-Smith to serve as DECC's head of ‘new nuclear capabilities and removing barriers’. At DECC she is responsible for 'enhancing the capability' of the UK's 'new nuclear supply chain and skills'. DECC says it meets her salary cost.

People

Ministers Appointed in 2014

• Amber Rudd is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Climate Change.

Ministers in 2012-14

• Ed Davey is the Secretary of State. He replaced Chris Huhne in February 2012. Under the previous government the now Labour leader Ed Miliband held this position.
• Matthew Hancock, MP, replaced Michael Fallon in the July 2014 reshuffle. Fallon had previously replaced John Hayes as Minister of State for Energy in March 2013, with responsibility for nuclear
• Greg Barker has been Minister of State for Climate Change, fuel poverty and green economy since 2010.
• Baroness Verma is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Previous ministers

• Jonathan Marland, was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State from 2010 to 2012. He was replaced by Baroness Verma
• Charles Hendry was Minister of State from 2010 to 2012

Special advisers

• Chris Nicholson - from March 2012, prior to this Nicholson was Chief Executive at the Think Tank CentreForum for two years. Chris was also UK Partner at KPMG and spent 4 years as KPMG's Head of Public Sector at their Corporate Finance Group. He was also a Consultant at KPMG from March 1985 until October 1993.

• Paul Hodgson - since February 2013. Previous to this, Hodgson was Associate Director at Fishburn Hedges for seven years. He was also a Media Relations Manager at RAC. One of his first roles in parliament, saw him as a Senior Adviser to the Liberal Democrat Party in 1999 to 2005.

• Lottie Dexter
• Maria Allen - has been special adviser to Greg Barker since July 2013.

Former special advisers

• Duncan Brack - left February 2012 after Chris Huhne resigned
• Joel Kenrick - left February 2012 after Chris Huhne resigned
• Katie Waring - replaced by Paul Hodgson

Civil servants working on nuclear issues in 2012-13

• Mark Higson, Chief Executive, Office for Nuclear Development
• Hergen Haye, New Nuclear and Strategy
• Peter MacDonald, GDF and International
• Stephen de Souza, Waste & Safety Policy - left April 2013, now at Statoil

Civil servants previously working on nuclear issues

• Nicola Baggley, Head Nuclear Strategy
• Derek Lacey, Head Nuclear Policy and Head Radioactive Waste & Preparedness
• Adam Dawson, Head New Nuclear
• Mel Draper, Head Non-Proliferation

DECC communications personnel

In September 2014 the DECC Communications Directorate consisted of 59 full time staff, which includes 12 press officers and the Head of News.

Nuclear Development Forum

The following people from DECC attended the Nuclear Development Forum in May 2012:

• Ed Davey | Mark Higson | Tim Stone |Stephen De Souza | Peter McDonald | Giles Scott | Jeremy Allen | Hugo Robson | Kris Bradshaw

In November 2011 the attendees were:

• Chris Huhne | Charles Hendry | Mark Higson | Tim Stone | Hergen Haye |Stephen De Souza | Peter McDonald | Giles Scott | Jeremy Allen

Personnel under Labour until May 2010

• Minister of State - Mike O'Brien MP
• Minister of State - Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE (jointly with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs); and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - Joan Ruddock MP

See also Civil Servants and their roles under Energy & Climate Change International in 2009

Affiliations

Subsidiaries

The DECC is also responsible for the Committee on Climate Change.

Contact details, Resources, Notes

Contact

Head Office

• Address: 3 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HH
• Phone: General enquiries: 0300 060 4000
• Email: enquiries@decc.gsi.gov.uk
• Fax:
• Website: http://www.decc.gov.uk