New UK Secretary of State for Energy Security Outlines Priorities

Ed Miliband, the UK’s new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, has outlined his priorities in a message to staff, which was posted on the UK government website.

“Our department will be at the heart of the new government’s agenda, leading one of the Prime Minister’s five national missions, to make Britain a clean energy superpower with zero carbon electricity by 2030, and accelerating our journey to net zero,” Miliband said in the message.

“The job of our department will be to deliver our mission so we can make the UK energy independent, bring down energy bills for good, create good jobs, and tackle the climate crisis,” he added.

“We will get started right away, and my priorities are – delivering our mission to boost energy independence and cutting bills through clean power by 2030; taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy; upgrading Britain’s homes and cutting fuel poverty through our Warm Homes Plan; standing up for consumers by reforming our energy system; creating good jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, including a just transition for the industries based in the North Sea; leading on international climate action, based on our domestic achievements,” Miliband continued.

Miliband highlighted in the message that the department will be “mission-driven … mobilizing citizens, businesses, trade unions, civil society and local government in a national effort, where everyone has a role”.

Miliband was appointed Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on July 5. The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, according to the government’s website. Claire Coutinho previously held this role from 2023 to 2024. Prior to that, Grant Shapps held the role in 2023.

In a statement posted on his X page on July 5, Miliband said, “it is a privilege and honor to have been appointed as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.”

“This government has won a mandate to deliver a bold plan for energy independence, lower energy bills, good jobs and to tackle the climate crisis. That work begins now,” he added.

Sarah Jones was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Business and Trade, on July 8. The minister is responsible for – geospatial plan and wider planning policy, grid, review of electricity market arrangements (REMA), oil and gas, COP and international climate policy, Net Zero Strategy, carbon budgets, international climate finance, multilateral negotiations (G7 and COP), carbon leakage, Ofgem (shared with the Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability), the UK government site states.

In a statement posted on her X page on July 8, Jones said “such an honor to be appointed by the Prime Minister to be Minister of State for Industry and Decarbonization in @biztradegovuk and @energygovuk”.

“Lots to do,” Jones added.

A UK General Election took place on July 4. With all 650 seats declared, Labour won 411 seats, the UK Parliament website showed, highlighting that this was up 209 on Labour’s total from the previous UK election in 2019.

Industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) congratulated Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on the UK General Election result in a release sent to Rigzone by the OEUK team. The organization also warned in the release, however, that “many of the industry’s skilled people and investors remain deeply concerned about Labour proposals for a further windfall tax on homegrown oil and gas production and to end new oil and gas licenses in UK waters.”

Rigzone has asked the Labour Party for comment on OEUK’s release. At the time of writing, the party has not yet responded to Rigzone’s request.

Source: www.rigzone.com