Energy and Climate Change Select Committee

The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its associated public bodies.

Members

Tim Yeo was elected by the House as Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee on 9 June 2010. Three years later, on 10 June 2013, he 'temporarily' quit the chairmanship pending a Parliamentary standards investigation into media allegations that he had breached lobbying rules by helping a firm he worked for prepare to appear before his committee.

The following members were appointed Wednesday 3 November 2010:

Member Party

• Tim Yeo (Chair) Conservative
• Dan Byles Conservative
• Barry Gardiner Labour
• Ian Lavery Labour
• Dr Phillip Lee Conservative
• Albert Owen Labour
• Christopher Pincher Conservative
• John Robertson Labour
• Laura Sandys Conservative
• Sir Robert Smith Liberal Democrat
• Dr Alan Whitehead Labour

Potential conflicts of interest

No sooner had Yeo been replaced by Lib Dem Sir Robert Smith, it emerged that Smith has shares in Shell and in 2012 received hospitality from oil company BP. Although declared fully in the official register of members interests, alongside his shareholdings in pharmaceuticals firm Glaxsmithkline, life assurance company Legal and General and mining company Rio Tinto, it prompted further questions about the role of MPs on powerful select committees who have interests in companies and industries potentially affected by their work, reported the Daily Mail.

Another member Peter Lilley earned £47,000 in 2012 as a non-executive director of Tethys Petroleum Limited and £22,462 advising Ferro Alloys Corporation Limited on power generation. </ref name="lobbying">

Contact

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