Department of Energy and Climate Change

{{distinguish|text=the defunct Department of Energy (United Kingdom)}}

{{Infobox government agency

|agency_name = Department of Energy and Climate Change
{{langx|cy|Yr Adran Ynni a Newid yn yr Hinsawdd}}

|type = Department

|logo = Energy Climate Change logo.svg

|logo_width = 210px

|logo_caption =

|picture = Department of Energy & Climate Change, 3 Whitehall Place.jpg

|picture_caption = 3 Whitehall Place, London

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|formed = 2008

||preceding1 =

|dissolved = 14 July 2016

|jurisdiction = United Kingdom

|headquarters = 3 Whitehall Place, London

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|region_code = GB

|employees =

|budget = £1.5 billion (current) & £1.5 billion (capital) in 2011–12 {{cite book|title=Budget 2011 |year=2011 |publisher=HM Treasury |location=London |url=http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf |access-date=30 December 2011 |page=48 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110801192353/http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf |archive-date=1 August 2011 }}

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|parent_agency =

|child1_agency = Oil and Gas Authority

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|website = {{url|www.gov.uk/decc}}

|footnotes =

}}

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was a department of the government of the United Kingdom created on 3 October 2008, by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to take over some of the functions related to energy of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and those relating to climate change of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It was led at time of closure by the secretary of state for energy and climate change, Amber Rudd MP.{{cite web |url=http://www.energyblogs.com/OfgemCMA/index.cfm/2015/5/11/Green-groups-praise-UKs-new-Energy-and-Climate-Change-Secretary |title=Green groups praise UK's new Energy and Climate Change Secretary |publisher=247 Home Rescue Limited |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=14 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518085909/http://www.energyblogs.com/OfgemCMA/index.cfm/2015/5/11/Green-groups-praise-UKs-new-Energy-and-Climate-Change-Secretary |archive-date=18 May 2015 |df=dmy-all }} Following Theresa May's appointment as Prime Minister in July 2016, Rudd became Home Secretary and the department was disbanded and merged with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to form the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy under Greg Clark MP.

The department released a major White Paper in July 2009, setting out its purpose and plans.{{cite web |url=http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/publications/lc_trans_plan/lc_trans_plan.aspx |title=The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826060714/http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/publications/lc_trans_plan/lc_trans_plan.aspx |archive-date=26 August 2009 |publisher=The Stationery Office |date=2009-07-15 |access-date=4 August 2009}} The majority of DECC's budget was spent on managing the historic nuclear sites in the United Kingdom, in 2012/13 this being 69% of its budget spent through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The costs to the government of nuclear decommissioning are expected to increase when the last of the United Kingdom's Magnox reactors are shut down and no longer produce an income.{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmenergy/c923/c92301.htm |title=DECC Annual Report and Accounts |publisher=House of Commons |work=Energy and Climate Change Committee |date=23 January 2013 |access-date=9 April 2024}}

The department was somewhat resurrected in February 2023 with the creation of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, carrying almost the same responsibilities as this department once did.

Ministers

=Secretaries of State=

Ed Miliband (2008–10)
Chris Huhne (2010–12)
Ed Davey (2012–15)
Amber Rudd (2015–16)

=Ministers of State=

{{Main|Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change}}

Mike O'Brien (2008–09)
Joan Ruddock (2009–10)
Charles Hendry (2010–12)
John Hayes (2012–13)
Michael Fallon (2013–14)
Matthew Hancock (2014–15)
Andrea Leadsom (2015–16)

Management

Permanent Secretary (7 January 2013 – 14 July 2016) Stephen Lovegrove.{{cite web |publisher=Department of Energy & Climate Change |url=http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn13_001/pn13_001.aspx |title=New Permanent Secretary at DECC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111074552/http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn13_001/pn13_001.aspx |archive-date=11 January 2013 |date=7 January 2013}}
Acting Permanent Secretary (1 November 2012 – January 2013) Phil Wynn Owen.{{cite web |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121217150421/http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/about-us/who-we-are/2721-decc-corporate-organogram.pdf |title=Department of Energy & Climate Change Organizational Chart |date=December 2012 |access-date=9 April 2024 |website=nationalarchives.gov.uk}}
Chief Scientific Advisor (October 2014 – 14 July 2016) John Loughhead; (October 2009 – 31 July 2014) David J. C. MacKay.{{cite web |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121217150421/http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/who_we_are/management/management.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207160628/http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121217150421/http%3A//decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/who_we_are/management/management.aspx |archive-date=7 December 2014 |url-status=live |access-date=9 April 2024 |title=Our Management Team |publisher=Department of Energy & Climate Change |website=nationalarchives.gov.uk |date=December 2012}}

Department of Energy and Climate Change (Abolition) Bills 2014–15 and 2015–16

In July 2014, a private member's bill was proposed in Parliament, sponsored by Conservative MP Peter Bone, to abolish the Department of Energy and Climate Change and absorb its portfolio into the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In the House of Commons, it was scheduled for a second reading on 6 March 2015. However, as a private members bill, it was unlikely to be passed without government support, which in the event it failed to get.{{cite web|title=Department of Energy and Climate Change (Abolition) Bill 2014-15|url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/departmentofenergyandclimatechangeabolition.html|website=parliament.co.uk|access-date=17 May 2016|date=7 July 2014}}

Mr Bone reintroduced his Bill on 29 June 2015. It did not progress beyond its first reading.{{cite web|title=House of Commons Debates: Bills Presented|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm150629/debtext/150629-0002.htm#15062912000009|website=www.parliament.uk|access-date=17 May 2016|date=29 June 2015}} However, the proposed disbanding and merger did occur, shortly after the appointment of Theresa May as Prime Minister.

Devolution

The devolution of energy policy varies around the United Kingdom; most aspects in Great Britain are decided at Westminster. Key reserved and excepted energy matters (i.e. not devolved) are as follows:

Scotland {{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980046_en_14#sch5-pt2 |title=Scotland Act 1998, Schedule 5, Part II |website=opsi.gov.uk}}

Northern Ireland

Nuclear energy is excepted.{{cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980047_en_12#sch3|title=Northern Ireland Act 1998|website=www.opsi.gov.uk}}

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is responsible for general energy policy.{{cite web|url=http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-energy-index.htm|title=Welcome to the Energy website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222080144/http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-energy-index.htm|archive-date=22 February 2010|df=dmy-all |website=detini.gov.uk}}

Wales

Under the Welsh devolution settlement, specific policy areas are transferred to the National Assembly for Wales rather than reserved to Westminster.