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Home > About the GLS > GLS Departments > DECC

Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is responsible for all aspects of UK energy and climate change policy. Our purpose is to head off two risks – catastrophic climate change and a shortfall in secure, affordable energy supplies. Our mission can be summed up as to power the country and protect the planet.

Our vision is a safe and secure transition to:

• low-carbon buildings
• low-carbon transport
• low-carbon industry
• low carbon power, particularly through renewable and nuclear energy, and carbon capture and storage.

We aim to do this in a way that supports a global transition to low carbon development, and minimises costs, particularly for those in fuel poverty, and maximises benefits. During this transition, we intend to make the best use of our oil and gas reserves, and address our nuclear legacy. DECC is an exciting and dynamic place to work.

DECC’s key priorities are to:

1. Save energy with the Green Deal and support vulnerable consumers
2. Deliver secure energy on the way to a low carbon energy future
3. Drive ambitious action on climate change at home and abroad
4. Manage our energy legacy responsibly and cost effectively

WORK OF DECC LEGAL

DECC currently has an in-house legal team of around 50 lawyers, headed by Scott Milligan and based in the Department’s HQ offices in Whitehall Place, near Trafalgar Square. We are organised into seven flexible teams, and work closely with ministers and policy officials in the department and across Whitehall.

The policy and political environment is fast-moving, and DECC has a major legislative and regulatory portfolio. DECC’s lawyers need to ensure that the Department receives high quality advisory legal services to support the full range of its activities. It needs robust support in taking decisions, often controversial, and in defending challenges to them. It needs increasing support in its commercial and contract work. Major matters we expect to be advising on in the next year include:

• energy efficiency
• smart grids and smart meters
• expediting the planning system for new energy projects
• carbon budgets and carbon reduction
• green finance (the Green Deal)
• gas/electricity transmission reform
• electricity market reform
• carbon capture and storage
• facilitating new renewable and nuclear development
• nuclear security
• radioactive waste policy
• non-proliferation
• international climate change negotiations
• emissions trading
• managing the UK’s energy legacy
• EU initiatives on renewable and low carbon energy
• oil, gas and coal
• corporate and commercial matters

BENEFITS & REWARDS

As well as working on some of the highest profile issues in government, DECC lawyers belong to a high performing and friendly group, with a great deal of collaborative working between teams and with the rest of the Government Legal Service. We are strongly committed to training and development and to flexible working.

Lawyers joining DECC are assigned to a Legal Team for an initial posting usually of 2-3 years. We encourage staff to take an active part in their own career development, and facilitate moves within the Department and the wider Government Legal Service to provide a broad range of experience. Pay increases are on merit, and promotion is by competition.

We are looking for people who are willing to gain experience and skills in a number of specialist areas and to move periodically from one area to another. We will provide strong support to help you acquire the necessary expertise.

Further Information

To find out more about "A day in the life of DECC lawyers" please click here (PDF 32kb).

You can visit the DECC website http://www.decc.gov.uk.