The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Sir Ian’s plea for specialist energy minister
Call: Tycoon ‘hopeful’ of top appointment
Sir Ian Wood has called on Westminster to appoint a dedicated secretary of state for energy.
The Aberdeen-based billionaire, who has worked closely with government on major initiatives for both the oil and gas industry and on skills development for youth, said he was “surprised” there has been no move to appoint an energy minister.
But he added he was “hopeful” there would be steps taken to address the issue in the future.
The tycoon, who was awarded a rare distinction as Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the recent 2016 Birthday Honours for services to the oil and gas industry, welcomed the scrapping of the former Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc).
He argued it was a “step in the right direction” that its remit was now wrapped up in a new department – Business, Energy, Industry and Skills (BEIS).
Sir Ian is confident this move will bring the sector closer to funding for research and development, as well as support for international trade. He would also welcome the separation of oil and gas from policy on climate change.
Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Greg Clark as secretary of state for the enlarged government department earlier this month.
Mr Clark, who is in Japan today to drum up potential investment in new nuclear energy projects in the UK, has made three ministerial appointments and two junior under-secretaries to BEIS although none have been allocated to the energy brief.
A government spokesman confirmed the department would be “detailing individual ministerial responsibilities soon”, suggesting that Sir Ian’s hopes may yet be fulfilled.
Sir Ian said: “I hope there will be a minister for energy. It would be helpful if there was some split between energy and climate change.
“Certainly oil and gas should get some separate focus. Operating in the larger ministry of BEIS, the ideal [scenario] would be to have a separate secretary of state for energy.
“This is a step in the right direction working within the business department. But that is on the condition there was an energy minister. It needs its own separate focus working within a larger unit. That is the way to do it.”
Sir Ian led both the Wood Review, a report commissioned by former energy secretary Ed Davey as well as the Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce for the Scottish Government.
The call came as he warned against the prospect of Scotland voting to become independent from the UK to remain in the European Union – warning that it would cause damage to the Scottish economy.
He said: “We have got to give very careful thought to being a small independent member of the EU.
“We would be a small member of a very large community.
“Scotland would have to vote for independence and then apply to join the EU and that is a long process and one that would be damaging, with a lot of uncertainty for the oil and gas industry.”
“Careful thought to being a small independent member of EU”