The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was established on 7 February 2023 by a cabinet reshuffle under the Rishi Sunak premiership. The new department took on the energy policy responsibilities of the former Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The department's first Secretary of State was Grant Shapps; he was previously the final Secretary of State at BEIS. The current Secretary of State is Miatta Fahnbulleh.
The department is scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee.
History The department was established on 7 February 2023.
The creation of the new department was described by Downing Street as an opportunity to "focus on giving the UK cheaper, cleaner, more secure sources of energy – cutting bills, cutting emissions, and cutting dependence on international energy supplies." Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
The London School of Economics's Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment welcomed the creation of the new department saying that it "signalled a commitment to delivering net zero" and "showed that MPs on the right of the Conservative Party have failed to win the argument for weakening climate policy." However, the LSE warned that the new department would have to "persuade other departments and the Treasury to accelerate action on cutting greenhouse gas emissions across the economy outside the energy sector" to be effective.
Responsibilities The department's immediate priorities were outlined by the Prime Minister as follows: To maintain energy supplies, particularly during the winter. To reduce energy bills and lower inflation. To ensure the UK is on track to meet its legally binding carbon budgets and Net Zero commitments. To speed up significantly the delivery of network infrastructure and green energy. To improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, businesses and public sector buildings. To deliver a new Energy Bill by the end of the Parliament.
Ministers DESNZ ministers are as follows, with cabinet members in bold:
Minister Portrait Office Portfolio Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Overall responsibility for the department. Michael Shanks Minister of State for EnergyClean Power 2030; public control; North Sea transition; energy systems, networks and markets; energy and fuel security, including mid-stream and downstream gas systems; energy planning; policy; nuclear; fusion; renewables; Great British Energy; Energy sector supply chains, and the role of the energy systems and infrastructure in supporting; reindustrialisation; Energy Independence Bill and Nuclear Regulation Bill; Mining Remediation Authority Katie White Minister of State for Climate Transition net zero strategy and carbon budgets; Electrification Champion; electric vehicles (EVs) (joint with DfT); international climate and energy policy; G20 climate and energy lead; climate finance, green finance; citizen engagement; carbon markets; climate science; innovation for climate and energy; climate security; methane emissions; biomass sustainability; biomethane, tidal, geothermal Martin McCluskey Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Energy and Jobs devolution and the place-based; economic strategy; Warm Homes Plan; clean heat; consumer protection! heat networks; public sector and non-domestic buildings: Great British Energy Local Power Plan; Office for Clean Energy Jobs; consumer-led flexibility; smart meters; Internal Electricity Market negotiations; AI in the energy sector; Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen and Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs)Blair McDougall Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Reindustrialisation industrial energy affordability (joint with the Minister for Energy Consumers); clean energy industry strategy; refineries; industrial decarbonisation and fuel switching; emissions trading; carbon leakage;mineworkers pensions. Held jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and TradePolly Billington Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Consumersconsumer energy affordability (domestic and business consumers); departmental oversight of bills and levies; retail energy markets; fuel poverty; consumer protection and standards; energy debt; Ofgem relationship and Ofgem Review; Warm Home Discount and energy bills support schemes; heating oil (supply and regulation); Fuel Finder; departmental lead for disability and child povertyMargaret Curran, Baroness CurranParliamentary Under-Secretary of Stateall departmental business in the House of Lords; individual planning decisions
See also Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy – preceding body from 2016 to 2023. Department of Energy and Climate Change – similar body from 2008 to 2016. Department of Energy – historic body with similar responsibilities from 1974 to 1992.
References
External links
Making Government Deliver: Updating the machinery of government for the world of today and of tomorrow (policy paper forwarded by Rishi Sunak explaining the rationale for the department)