This is going to
be a shorter blog than I often write and it's more of a question based on my
confusion than an exposition of my views! The ministerial reshuffle announced
this week includes a move that leaves me perplexed, as did an earlier decision.
In September 2012, Michael Fallon was appointed Business and Enterprise Minister replacing Mark Prisk who'd held the role for a while before that, and was moving to a housing portfolio. So far so good, and Michael Fallon made a good early impression and has been instrumental in successfully driving the prompt payment debate. Then, inexplicably to me, in March 2013 the role of Minister of State for Energy was added to his portfolio meaning he was a minister in two departments: BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills) and DECC (Department for Energy & Climate Change). I couldn't work out then why a minister would be given a role across two separate departments given the workload and demands of one but that's probably why I'm not Prime Minister!
In this week's reshuffle, Michael Fallon has been made Industry & Energy Minister, I presume straddling the same two departments (BIS and DECC), and Matt Hancock has been appointed Minister for Skills & Enterprise working in BIS and the Department for Education. I understand such areas as late payment will be moving to Matt Hancock's remit. I've enjoyed working with Michael Fallon and his team. I think he's been effective, and I'm sure Matt Hancock will be similarly so but my question is this: why is attention to such an issue as late payment being potentially diluted through its responsibility being added to such a diverse portfolio? An issue which affects all businesses, particularly small ones, and impacts massively on the wider economy surely deserves better.
In September 2012, Michael Fallon was appointed Business and Enterprise Minister replacing Mark Prisk who'd held the role for a while before that, and was moving to a housing portfolio. So far so good, and Michael Fallon made a good early impression and has been instrumental in successfully driving the prompt payment debate. Then, inexplicably to me, in March 2013 the role of Minister of State for Energy was added to his portfolio meaning he was a minister in two departments: BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills) and DECC (Department for Energy & Climate Change). I couldn't work out then why a minister would be given a role across two separate departments given the workload and demands of one but that's probably why I'm not Prime Minister!
In this week's reshuffle, Michael Fallon has been made Industry & Energy Minister, I presume straddling the same two departments (BIS and DECC), and Matt Hancock has been appointed Minister for Skills & Enterprise working in BIS and the Department for Education. I understand such areas as late payment will be moving to Matt Hancock's remit. I've enjoyed working with Michael Fallon and his team. I think he's been effective, and I'm sure Matt Hancock will be similarly so but my question is this: why is attention to such an issue as late payment being potentially diluted through its responsibility being added to such a diverse portfolio? An issue which affects all businesses, particularly small ones, and impacts massively on the wider economy surely deserves better.
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