The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

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

Under the Conservative government of Sir John Major in 1992 the Department of Energy was merged into the Department of Trade and Industry.

The position of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change was created on 3 October 2008 when then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown reshuffled his Cabinet. Immediately prior to the creation of the new department, energy policy was the responsibility of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

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.Chris Huhne quits cabinet over speeding claims charge

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.

On 7 February 2023, a government reshuffle meant that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was split up into separate departments. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero took on the energy portfolio and policy functions from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Grant Shapps was appointed the first Secretary of State for the department, having previously been the last holder of the office of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2022 to 2023. The department was tasked by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, with "securing our long-term energy supply, bringing down bills and halving inflation".

In May 2023 the position was incorporated as a corporation sole.

List

Secretary of State for Energy (1974–1992) Colour key (for political parties):

Secretary of State Term of office Political party Ministry Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington 8 January 1974 4 March 1974 Conservative Heath Eric Varley 5 March 1974 10 June 1975 Labour Wilson III & IV Tony Benn 10 June 1975 4 May 1979 Callaghan David Howell 5 May 1979 14 September 1981 Conservative Thatcher I Nigel Lawson 14 September 1981 11 June 1983 Peter Walker 11 June 1983 13 June 1987Thatcher II Cecil Parkinson 13 June 1987 24 July 1989Thatcher III John Wakeham 24 July 1989 11 April 1992 Major I Department abolished 1992. Functions transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2008–2016) Colour key (for political parties):

Secretary of State Term of office Political party Ministry Ed Miliband 3 October 2008 11 May 2010 Labour Brown Chris Huhne 12 May 2010 3 February 2012 Liberal Democrats Cameron Ed Davey 3 February 2012 8 May 2015 Amber Rudd 11 May 2015 14 July 2016 Conservative Cameron II Department abolished 2016, merged into Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2016–2023) Colour key (for political parties): Secretary of State Term of office Political party MinistryGreg Clark14 July 201624 July 2019ConservativeMay IMay IIAndrea Leadsom24 July 201913 February 2020Johnson IJohnson IIAlok Sharma13 February 20208 January 2021Kwasi Kwarteng8 January 20216 September 2022Jacob Rees-Mogg6 September 202225 October 2022TrussGrant Shapps25 October 20227 February 2023Sunak

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (2023–present) Colour key (for political parties):

Secretary of State Term of office Political party MinistryGrant Shapps7 February 202331 August 2023ConservativeSunakClaire CoutinhoMP for East Surrey31 August 20235 July 2024Ed Miliband5 July 202420 July 2026 Labour StarmerMiatta Fahnbulleh20 July 2026Incumbent Labour Burnham

Timeline

See also Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change – ministerial position from 2008 to 2016. Minister of State for Energy

References