The government now publishes details of meetings between ministers and outside bodies. They are published separately on each department's website. I thought I'd take a look at the DECC one and see who has been bending Howlin' Mad Huhne's ear.
In essence it's simple: with very few exceptions, Huhne gets to meet only:
- energy companies asking for subsidies
- environmentalists.
I think this could explain a lot about government energy policy, don't you?
I found it particularly interesting that Huhne (and indeed his predecessor, Ed Miliband) seem to grant a regular monthly audience to groups of environmentalists.
- In June, he entertained Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance, Greenpeace, RSPB, and WWF.
- In July it was Cafod, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance, Greenpeace, Oxfam, RSPB, Tearfund, and WWF.
The records have only been released up to July, but if we look back in time, we can see that under Miliband the same pattern was there (sources, 1, 2):
- October: Green Alliance, E.ON, RWE Npower, Scottish Power, Scottish & Southern Energy, Greenpeace & European Climate Foundation
- November: WWF, Greenpeace, ActionAid, Oxfam & Friends of the Earth
- Again in November: Meeting with NGOs including RSPB, Christian Aid & WWF
- Still in November: Oxfam, WWF, Greenpeace, RSPB, Tearfund, E3G, Christian Aid, Cafod, Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance
- And yet another: PIRC & 10:10.
- February: WWF, Greenpeace, Green Alliance, Cafod, RSPB, IPPR, E3G, Tearfund, Oxfam, TUC, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth.
- March: TUC, Cafod, Oxfam, WWF, Christian Aid, Tearfund, RSPB, IPPR, E3G.
- April - no record of any meetings, presumably because of the election
There is no sign of anyone who might give a different point of view getting through the door at DECC. This is rather remarkable. We know that the majority of the British public are unconvinced by the manmade global warming hypothesis and yet it appears that, whatever the stripe of the government, only groups with vested interests get through the front door at DECC. The views of the majority are not to be heard.
Is Mr Huhne dancing to the greens' tune?