Caroline Lucas wrote to the cabinet secretary in 2011 with a warning about secondments. She received no reply. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian
Employees from firms including British Gas and npower being paid to work at Department of Energy, documents reveal.
Almost two dozen employees from companies including the energy giants British Gas and npower are working at the Department of Energy and, in most cases, are being paid by the government to do so, documents released under freedom of information rules reveal. Oil companies such as Shell and ConocoPhillips also have staff inside the department, and civil servants have travelled in the opposite direction to work for the companies.
The Green party MP Caroline Lucas, who made some of the FOI requests, said… “These corporations obviously don’t lend out their employees without expecting something in return.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: “Secondees bring with them knowledge and expertise which are vital to helping Decc do its job effectively.”
Read more: Energy company staff working at climate ministry | Environment | The Guardian.
HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST – no impartiality here!!
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, WITH AN ODIOUS WHIFF OF POSSIBLE COLLUSION AND CORRUPTION.
I would also add that no staff from energy companies whether green or otherwise, should be in a position to influence government policy, this is fascism in practice. A marriage of government and corporate interests.