Grant Shapps has today been appointed secretary of state for energy security and net zero. The MP for Welwyn Hatfield will lead the new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which will be responsible for long-term energy supply, bringing down bills and halving inflation.

Institute for Government associate director Tom Sasse has set out his thoughts on what the new department means:  

“The creation of a department for energy and net zero will divide opinion. Some see giving a cabinet minister a tighter focus on energy security and the net zero transition as a major plus, compared to a BEIS secretary who can get distracted by whatever business or industry needs help. Many officials from BEIS’s predecessor, the department for energy and climate change (DECC), remember the department fondly. But others argue that a slimmed-down department will lack clout in Whitehall – and struggle to influence others, which is particularly important for a long-term cross-cutting goal like net zero. The fact that the three tasks the prime minister has given the new department include ‘halving inflation’ but not ‘reducing emissions’ also raise questions about how much the Sunak government will really prioritise the latter. Less than two years out from an election, there is also a risk that the change doesn’t last – and the cost in terms of disruption outweighs any benefit.” 

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