The Prime Minister, with the approval of His Majesty The King, has today created four new Government departments. One of these is the new  Department for Energy Security and Net Zero which basically means that BEIS, the Department for Energy and Industrial Strategy, has been split into two and is no more - the "Business and Industrial Strategy" now falling under a new Department for Business and Trade and the Energy in BEIS now is the responsibility of DESNZ.

A Government statement says that the new Department has been tasked with:

“Securing our long-term energy supply, bringing down bills and halving inflation. The move recognises the significant impact rising prices have had on households across the country as a result of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, and the need to secure more energy from domestic nuclear and renewable sources as we seize the opportunities of net zero.”

The responsibiliies of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are listed as follows:

• delivering security of energy supply
• ensuring properly functioning energy markets
• encouraging greater energy efficiency
• seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries

For 2023, the priorities of the department are listed as follows:

1. Ensure security of energy supply this winter, next winter and in the longer-term – bringing down energy bills and reducing inflation.
2. Ensure the UK is on track to meet its legally binding Net Zero commitments and support economic growth by significantly speeding up delivery of network infrastructure and domestic energy production.
3. Improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, businesses and public sector buildings to meet the 15% demand reduction ambition.
4. Deliver current schemes to support energy consumers with their bills and develop options for long-term reform to improve how the electricity market works for families and businesses.
5. Seize the economic benefits of Net Zero, including the jobs and growth created through investment in new green industries.
6. Pass the Energy Bill to support the emerging CCUS and hydrogen sectors; to update the governance of the energy system; and to reduce the time taken to consent offshore wind.

On the face of it this could be good news for the solid wall insulation industry. For many years we have enjoyed a close working relationship with BEIS, particularly recently around the challenges of the retrofit of existing homes in the social housing sector but there's so much more we need to do if we are to speed up the drive towards the Governments own net zero targets. Therefore, to have a department whose sole focus is on energy could be good news for our industry.

We await confirmation of the actual structure of the department but expect to be able to continue the working partnership we have with many of our key stakeholders from BEIS who will be re-assigned.

More information can be found on the official Government website: www.gov.uk/government/department-for-energy-security-and-net-zero