Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change was a British government cabinet position from 2008 to 2016. The Department of Energy and Climate Change was created on 3 October 2008 when then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown reshuffled his Cabinet.

United Kingdom
Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change
Royal Arms as used by Her Majesty's Government
Incumbent
Office not in Use
Department of Energy and Climate Change
StyleThe Right Honourable
(Formal prefix)
Energy Secretary
AppointerElizabeth II
Inaugural holderEd Miliband
Formation3 October 2008
Final holderAmber Rudd
Abolished14 July 2016
DeputyMinister of State for Energy
Websitewww.decc.gov.uk/

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, and 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of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (itself now a defunct government department, superseded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills).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, Kwasi Kwarteng.

Secretaries of State

Colour key
  Conservative   Labour   Liberal Democrats

Secretary of State for Energy (1974–1992)

Name Term of office Length of term Political party Prime Minister
The Lord Carrington 8 January 1974 4 March 1974 1 month and 24 days Conservative Edward Heath
Eric Varley 5 March 1974 10 June 1975 1 year, 3 months and 5 days Labour Harold Wilson
Tony Benn 10 June 1975 4 May 1979 3 years, 10 months and 24 days Labour
James Callaghan
David Howell 5 May 1979 14 September 1981 2 years, 4 months and 9 days Conservative Margaret Thatcher
Nigel Lawson 14 September 1981 11 June 1983 1 year, 8 months and 28 days Conservative
Peter Walker 11 June 1983 13 June 1987 4 years and 2 days Conservative
Cecil Parkinson 13 June 1987 24 July 1989 2 years, 1 month and 11 days Conservative
John Wakeham 24 July 1989 11 April 1992 2 years, 8 months and 18 days Conservative
John Major
Department abolished 1992. Functions transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2008–2016)

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Political party Prime Minister
Ed Miliband 3 October 2008 11 May 2010 1 year, 7 months and 8 days Labour Gordon Brown
Chris Huhne 12 May 2010 3 February 2012 1 year, 8 months and 22 days Liberal Democrats David Cameron
(Coalition)
Ed Davey 3 February 2012 8 May 2015 3 years, 3 months and 5 days Liberal Democrats
Amber Rudd 11 May 2015 14 July 2016 1 year, 2 months and 3 days Conservative David Cameron
(II)
Department abolished 2016, merged into Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

See also

References
  1. Chris Huhne quits cabinet over speeding claims charge
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