Downing Street has confirmed that The King has approved the appointment of Dr Alan Whitehead CBE as Minister of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with an intention to confer a life peerage. The Prime Minister’s Office published the notice on 11 November 2025.
According to the official ministerial brief, the Minister of State (Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero) is responsible for nuclear policy, certain individual planning decisions, and taking all departmental business through the House of Lords. The role ensures the department maintains senior ministerial capacity in the Upper House during bill and statutory instrument scrutiny.
Because the post is Lords‑facing, the announcement includes an intention to grant a life peerage. Life peers are created by Letters Patent under the Life Peerages Act 1958, and may take their seats once a Writ of Summons is issued; Parliament’s guidance indicates the process from announcement to introduction typically takes several weeks.
Within DESNZ, Whitehead will work alongside the Secretary of State, Ed Miliband, who has led the department since 5 July 2024. As Minister of State, Whitehead will represent the department in the Lords and support delivery of the government’s energy security and net zero programme.
Nuclear policy is central to the brief. In June 2025 the government selected Rolls‑Royce SMR as the preferred technology partner for the small modular reactor programme overseen by Great British Energy – Nuclear, moving the initiative into commercial and siting phases under government oversight. The Minister of State leads for DESNZ on nuclear in the Lords.
On planning, the minister issues decisions on nationally significant energy infrastructure once the Planning Inspectorate has reported, operating to statutory decision deadlines under the Planning Act regime. A separate fast‑track examination route can be used in defined circumstances where applications meet quality standards set by the Secretary of State.
Renewables deployment continues through the Contracts for Difference scheme. Ahead of Allocation Round 7, government confirmed rule changes in July 2025, including extending contract terms for wind and solar to 20 years and adjustments to auction processes; the delivery body indicates AR7 results are expected in late 2025 or early 2026.
Planning policy is also being updated. DESNZ is consulting on revised energy National Policy Statements to align decision‑making with the Clean Power 2030 mission, while the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets capacity ranges for offshore wind, onshore wind and solar and an ambition for at least 95% clean electricity by 2030.
For project developers, investors and local authorities, the appointment maintains continuity of Lords handling for DESNZ legislation and statutory instruments, and preserves decision‑making capacity for energy planning cases at ministerial level. Once the peerage formalities are completed and the Writ of Summons issued, Whitehead will take his seat and assume the Lords‑facing functions of the brief.