UK Gov Energy Reps Stay on as Resignations Mount

The UK Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (DBEIS), Kwasi Kwarteng, and the UK Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change at DBEIS, Greg Hands, have remained in their roles through a flurry of government resignations.

Since Tuesday, more than 50 MPs have resigned, according to a tracker on Sky News. This includes the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has now suffered more ministerial resignations in one day than any PM in history, Sky News highlighted.

Rigzone has asked DBEIS if Kwarteng and Hands plan to submit their resignations. At the time of writing, Rigzone has not heard back from the government.

Kwarteng was appointed Secretary of State at the DBEIS on January 8, 2021. The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the DBEIS, which brings together responsibilities for business, industrial strategy, science, innovation and energy, the UK government website outlines.

Hands was appointed Minister of State at the DBEIS on September 16, 2021. His responsibilities include, Net Zero Strategy, low carbon generation, oil and gas, security of supply, international energy, and hydrogen, the UK government site highlights.

On Wednesday, the Energy Security Bill, announced as part of the Queen’s Speech, was introduced into Parliament by Kwarteng. A statement on the UK government website described the bill as “the most significant piece of energy legislation in a decade”.

“To ensure we are no longer held hostage by rogue states and volatile markets, we must accelerate plans to build a truly clean, affordable, home-grown energy system in Britain,” Kwarteng said in a government statement on Wednesday.

“This is the biggest reform of our energy system in a decade. We’re going to slash red tape, get investment into the UK, and grab as much global market share as possible in new technologies to make this plan a reality,” he added in the statement.

“The measures in the Energy Security Bill will allow us to stand on our own two feet again, reindustrialize our economy and protect the British people from eye-watering fossil fuel prices into the future,” Kwarteng continued.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com