Former Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom to take on development of next generation of nuclear power plants

Andrea Leadsom

Industry leaders have praised the appointment of Andrea Leadsom as energy minister, following David Cameron鈥檚 Cabinet reshuffle.

Leadsom鈥檚 appointment at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) 鈥� alongside energy secretary Amber Rudd 鈥� was unveiled by Cameron last week, but it was only on Monday that the department could confirm her responsibilities.

She will be in charge of electricity and gas markets, new energy infrastructure, new nuclear power plants, oil and gas policy (including shale gas), energy security, carbon capture and storage and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Her portfolio responsibilities make Leadsom a key minister for the construction industry, with oversight of the next generation of nuclear power plants including EDF鈥檚 Hinkley and Horizon鈥檚 Wylfa, and the policies underpinning billions of pounds worth of spend on wind, solar and tidal power developments.

Leadsom was previously economic secretary to the Treasury and a member of the Treasury Select Committee. She has been MP for South Northamptonshire since the 2010 general election. Before entering politics Leadsom worked in investment banking for 25 years.

Industry leaders welcomed Leadsom鈥檚 appointment. Alasdair Reisner, chief executive at the Civil Engineers Contractors鈥� Association, said her experience in the Treasury could prove particularly important. He added: 鈥淪he鈥檚 clearly got quite an important role in terms of energy infrastructure, and there鈥檚 got to be significant investment in energy infrastructure if we are [to avoid] the much-vaunted 鈥榣ights go out鈥� [scenario] in the UK.鈥�

Keith Parker, chief executive at the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), said: 鈥淪he will play a pivotal role in delivering new nuclear facilities to the UK.鈥�

Leadsom formed eurosceptic group the Fresh Start Project with Conservative MPs, Chris Heaton-Harris and George Eustice, in 2011. The group doesn鈥檛 call for the UK to leave the EU but seeks to examine options for a new relationship.

Leadsom had stepped down from the group in 2014 after being appointed a Treasury minister.

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