Gordon Brown has made important changes to the responsibilities of Defra, and to BERR, in announcing the creation of a new Department of Energy and Climate Change. 

The new department brings together much of Defra’s existing climate change responsibilities with the energy component from BERR, to focus on solving the challenges of climate change and energy supply.

Hilary Benn will continue as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, while Ed Miliband has been appointed the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.