The energy industry will bid farewell to its 14th energy minister in 16 years.
Energy minister Michael Fallon was removed from his post after a dramatic government reshuffle today.
Mr Fallon leaves his role to join the Cabinet as Defence Secretary, replacing Philip Hammond, who was named the new Foreign Secretary.
The move is seen as a promotion for Mr Fallon.
Matt Hancock has been given the job overseeing the offshore sector.
Mr Hancock is seen as a close ally of Chancellor George Osborne, and will continue Mr Fallon’s role combining the energy and business briefs, and attend Cabinet.
The Conservative MP for West Suffolk was previously further education minister in the business department.
He becomes the fourth energy minister in the coalition government, following Mr Fallon, John Hayes and Charles Hendry.
The decision to continue the ministerial merry-go-round at the office will be seen as a snub to the North Sea industry and a fresh breach of Mr Cameron’s pre-election promises.
On a visit to Aberdeen just weeks before entering Downing Street in April 2010, said: “We’ve had a number of (Labour) energy ministers, I think we’ve had eight, although one of them was the same person.
Labour described the reshuffle as a “massacre of the moderates” which marked a shift to the right by Mr Cameron less than a year ahead of the 2015 general election.
Michael Fallon took over the energy role in March last year, after John Hayes had just six months in the post.
The quick switch led to an outcry from the industry over the lack of stability and leadership continuity. At the time Jim Milne, chairman and managing director of Aberdeen oil service firm Balmoral Group, branded the move “inexcusable”.
Quickly after his appointment, Mr Fallon was forced to defend the prime minister over the ministerial change.
He said: “The prime minister hopes to keep people in jobs for longer than a year.”
He later added “but people have to move”.
