Responsibilities
Charles Hendry supports the Secretary of State on:
- Security of supply
- Resilience and emergency preparedness
- International energy
- Renewable energy
- Renewables Obligation
- FITs (joint with Greg Barker)
- CCS, gas and coal policy
- Nuclear policy
- Grid policy including smart grids and network of recharging points
- Smart meters
- Oil and Gas exploration, licensing and revenues
- Offshore environment and decommissioning
- Planning reform and consents
- Regulation and competition in the energy sector (incl. nuclear)
- Waste and decommissioning policy for new nuclear
- Nuclear safety and regulation
- Nuclear non-proliferation
- Energy Council
- Coal Authority
- Electricity market reform - supporting the Secretary of State
- Country lead on: EU, Russia and former Soviet States; Scandinavia; North Africa and Middle East
- Lean regulation
Biography
Charles Hendry has been Member of Parliament for Wealden since 2001. Prior to joining the Government, he was Shadow Minister for Energy. He had previously held the position of Shadow Minister for Energy, Industry and Postal Affairs. Before this, Charles was the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party (2003-05), Shadow Minister for Young People (2002-05) and Shadow Minister for Industry and Enterprise (May – December 2005).
From 1992-97, Charles Hendry was Member of Parliament for High Peak, Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party (1995-1997) and Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Homelessness (1992-1996). Following the 1997 General Election, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Rt Hon William Hague during his leadership of the Conservative Party, before establishing and leading the Business Liaison Unit at Conservative Party headquarters.
Charles Hendry’s business career has mostly been spent in Public Relations, working with the international communications groups Ogilvy & Mather PR and Burson-Marsteller. He was Special Adviser to the Rt Hon John Moore MP as Secretary of State for Social Services (1988) and to the Rt Hon Tony Newton MP as Minister of State for Trade & Industry and then Secretary of State for Social Security (1988-90). He was Founder/Chairman/Chief Executive of The Agenda Group (1999-2005), a specialist consultancy helping company Chairmen and Chief Executives with their corporate networking.
He was born and brought up in Sussex and attended Rugby School from 1972-1976 before going on to study for a degree in Business Studies at Edinburgh University from 1977-1981.