New direction expected following UK cabinet changes

This week’s UK cabinet and ministerial re-shuffle, and next year’s general election, is likely to see a new wave of policy initiatives affecting science, skills, education and energy in particular.

The coalition Government’s biggest re-shuffle since winning the election in 2010 will see a new secretary of state for education, Nicky Morgan, and a new ‘part-time’ minister of state for universities and science, Greg Clark.

The direction of UK energy policy will also be influenced by several fresh faces including Matthew Hancock, who becomes the minister of state of energy – as well as minister of state for business and enterprise – and Amber Rudd, who becomes a junior energy minister with responsibility for energy efficiency, fuel poverty, carbon budgets and the green industry.

Major changes in the Department for Education will see Nicky Morgan joined by Nick Gibb, as education minister, and Sam Gyimah as junior education minister. Nick Boles also becomes skills and enterprise minister.

Ministers leaving Government include Greg Barker, climate change minister, and David Willetts, who was universities and science minister and is leaving Parliament next year.

Willetts’ departure is widely considered to be the biggest loss from cabinet for the UK chemical and process industries. Since being appointed in 2010, Willetts has been a strong advocate for higher education and has helped to protect the UK’s science research budget from excessive cuts imposed elsewhere across Government. 

The departing minister’s tenure also saw the controversial introduction of higher tuition fees in 2012 and a greater focus to the work of the Technology Strategy Board, responsible for driving forward innovation in the UK.

David Brown, chief executive of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), said: “My initial observation from the re-shuffle is the decision to make the university and science portfolio, and the minister of state of energy position, effectively both part-time. 

“Although Greg Clark is a talented and able minister, we should be concerned that the prime minister feels his portfolio in particular can be delivered effectively part-time.”

Brown continued: “It will also be interesting to see how education policy changes and if the teaching of science in particular is given greater priority in primary and secondary education.

“I believe we should also recognise the contribution of outgoing universities and science minister, David Willetts. During a difficult economic period he has been a persuasive and persistent advocate of science and engineering, and has generally won the arguments on our behalf.

“We are about to enter a period of political change with many new policies expected to influence education, skills and the chemical and process industries. Now is a great time for chemical and process engineers to raise the profile of the profession and support our technical policy - Chemical Engineering Matters.”