MPs vote for energy scrutiny committee chair

Scottish National MP Angus MacNeil has been elected as chair of the House of Commons new Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

The committee has been established to scrutinise the work of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which was set up earlier this year.

MacNeil, who previously chaired the energy and climate change committee from 2015 to 2016 has represented the constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar covering the Outer Hebrides since 2005.

The former civil engineer beat Kirsty Blackman, former deputy leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) at Westminster, by 188 to 174 votes in an election that was open to all MPs. Their SNP colleague Stewart McDonald was knocked out in the first round of voting.

Select committee chair roles are divvied out between the major parties represented in the House of Commons.

MacNeil takes up position with immediate effect and will serve to the end of the current Parliament with members due to be appointed to the committee over the next few weeks.

The new select committee will examine the spending, policies and administration of the DESNZ, which was created by the recent changes to the machinery of government that saw the break-up of the BEIS (business, energy and industrial strategy) department.

The current BEIS committee chair, Darren Jones MP, will head the business and trade committee, which has also been created.

MacNeil said: “Ensuring an affordable and secure energy supply while transitioning to net zero rank among the most serious challenges of the day. I am pleased to be given the chance to lead a committee that can play a key role in ensuring the UK government tackles them head on.”