Nick Hurd MP (1981, Literae Humaniores) appointed Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Exeter alumnus Nick Hurd MP (1981, Literae Humaniores) has been appointed Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He was awarded the position by Theresa May as part of her Cabinet reshuffle upon becoming Prime Minister.
The newly created Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be headed by Greg Clark MP. Mr Hurd’s appointment as part of the team has been seen by some green campaigners as a positive indication that the new department will prioritise action to tackle climate change and expand the green economy. Mr Hurd, the MP for Ruislip Northwood and Pinner, is a supporter of the Conservative Environment Network think tank, and was chairman of the climate change sub-group of the Quality of Life policy review commission between 2006 and 2008. He has also served on the Environmental Audit committee and more recently served as parliamentary under-secretary of state for international development between November 2015 and July 2016, and as civil society minister for four years during the coalition government.
Mr Hurd said he was ‘honoured’ to be offered the position in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He also tweeted that he was proud of the work he and his team had done at the Department for International Development and that he was leaving many friends at what he described as ‘the best international development agency in the world’.