Hands replaces Trevelyan as energy minister

Greg Hands has been appointed as minister of state at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

It follows Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s departure in Boris Johnson’s reshuffle.

No 10 Downing Street also confirmed Kwasi Kwarteng and George Eustice retain their roles as secretaries of state for respectively BEIS and Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Hands has been trade policy minister since February 2020, having held the same post between 2016 and 2018. He was chief secretary to the Treasury in David Cameron’s government.

Trade was a great role, but so is Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Energy, clean growth and climate change – some of the biggest challenges and opportunities for the Government as we approach #COP26. https://t.co/yLcCY4w28I

— Greg Hands (@GregHands) September 16, 2021

Trevelyan, who was appointed minister of state for energy in January, has been promoted to become secretary of state for international trade.

Trevelyan’s departure was widely anticipated whenever the prime minister carried out a Cabinet reshuffle. She had previously held a Cabinet post until her Department for International Development was absorbed into the Foreign Office in late 2019 and was one of the staunchest champions for Brexit when she was a backbench MP during the last Parliament.

However, Trevelyan’s departure triggered concern from Prospect that energy has become a “revolving door” portfolio in government.

Noting that Trevelyan’s successor is the third minister of state for energy to hold the post so far this year, the union’s general secretary Mike Clancy said: “This year was supposed to about the UK taking a lead on climate change, both at home and abroad, but this ambition is being held back by a revolving door at the energy department.

“Making genuine progress on climate change requires long term planning and commitment, but whether it is on creating green jobs or driving forward critical infrastructure projects like new build nuclear, Boris Johnson is closer to zero progress than he is to net zero.

“Going through three energy ministers in just nine months in the year of hosting COP26 is not the sign of a government that is serious about hitting net zero.

“The new minister will have to hit the ground running if this is not to be another wasted year for progress on an issue where we simply don’t have time to spare.”

In other reshuffle news, Alok Sharma retains his brief as president-elect of COP26, Grant Shapps stays as transport secretary, Michael Gove has replaced Robert Jenrick as secretary of state for housing and communities and Simon Clarke has returned as chief secretary to the Treasury.