Now with a voice in cabinet

Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling has taken over the high profile energy brief in a reshuffle of posts within the Department of Trade and Industry which does away with a dedicated energy minister following Malcolm Wicks' move to science minister. It is the first time the energy portfolio has had direct cabinet level representation since the Department of Energy was abolished after the general election of 1992. One of Darling's priorities will be an energy white paper due out in the spring to implement the proposals from the government's recent energy review. These include reforming the Renewables Obligation to extend it to 2020 and to bring on offshore wind and other less commercial technologies.