Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Between 1974 and 1992, the post was known as Secretary of State for Energy.


The Energy and Climate Change Secretary revived the earlier post of the Secretary of State for Energy as head of the Department of Energy, existing from 1974 to 1992. After which, the Department of Energy was merged into the Department of Trade and Industry under the Conservative government of Sir John Major in 1992.


Sixteen years later, immediately prior to the creation of the new department, energy policy was the responsibility of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (itself now a defunct government department, superseded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills).


Former Labour Leader Ed Miliband was the inaugural Secretary of State at DECC. After Labour lost the 2010 general election and the Cameron–Clegg coalition was formed, Chris Huhne was appointed as his successor. On 3 February 2012, Huhne resigned from the post after it was announced that he would be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice, in relation to accusations that he passed on speeding penalties to his ex-wife to avoid losing his own licence. The post was taken over by Ed Davey on the same day, and served until the Liberal Democrats left government, and Davey lost his seat, in 2015.^[1]


Amber Rudd was the final Secretary of State at DECC, until she became Home Secretary. The post was formed into the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by new Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2016.


The role is now part of the portfolio belonging to the Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, Graham Stuart.