Calls for a Parliamentary inquiry into potential conflicts of interest at the heart of Westminster have erupted, as Net Zero Watch exposes a series of troubling revelations involving key figures driving the Government’s energy agenda.
The controversy centres on Jeremy Pocklington, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), whose brother is the CEO of Good Energy, a major player in the renewables sector.
The DESNZ register of interest insists that “appropriate mitigations” have been implemented and that Mr Pocklington will not have direct contact with Good Energy.
However, Net Zero Watch director Andrew Montford has slammed these assurances as “preposterous.” He said:
“The insinuation that Mr Pocklington no longer speaks to his brother is absurd. The public needs confidence that decisions are being made in their interests, not those of civil servants’ family members.”
Montford went further, alleging that Mr Pocklington has been avoiding transparency around the true costs of Net Zero:
“I have tried and failed to get Mr Pocklington to tell ministers the truth about the cost of Net Zero. Many will conclude that his conflict of interest explains his mysterious silence on the issue.”
Hydrogen Hype and Subsidy Scandals
The Pocklington revelations come hot on the heels of another explosive case involving Baroness Brown, chair of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. Baroness Brown oversaw a report advocating for increased support for hydrogen energy storage—while simultaneously serving as a director of both a hydrogen company and a wind farm company. These firms stand to rake in massive subsidies following Government announcements on new hydrogen projects, which appear to respond directly to her committee’s recommendations.
Miliband’s Battery Interests
Further adding to the growing row is David Miliband, brother of the Secretary of State. Miliband is linked to a company investing in grid-scale batteries, a sector poised for exponential growth under the Government’s ambitious energy transition plans.
While none of these cases appears to breach existing rules, Net Zero Watch has criticised the pervasive culture of declaring conflicts of interest while taking no meaningful action to address them.
Montford stated:
“This has been going on for at least a decade, from repeated revelations about Lord Deben’s conflicts during his tenure at the Climate Change Committee to the current cavalier attitude towards transparency. In Whitehall, it seems that declaring a conflict—or simply ignoring it—is enough to escape scrutiny. It’s shocking.”
“A Blind Eye Turned to Corruption”
Net Zero Watch claims these cases exemplify a broader pattern of cosy relationships in the Government’s Net Zero decision-making process. The organisation is demanding a Parliamentary inquiry to examine whether conflicts of interest have undermined public trust and allowed the energy sector to benefit disproportionately from taxpayer-funded subsidies.
“The rule in Westminster appears to be: conflicts of interest are fine so long as you declare them. And if you don’t? Well, a blind eye will likely be turned anyway,” Montford added.
Public Confidence at Risk
As taxpayer funds flow into ambitious renewable energy projects, the public is entitled to assurance that decisions are being made in the national interest—not to line the pockets of those in privileged positions.
Whether Parliament will heed calls for an inquiry remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: scrutiny of Westminster’s Net Zero agenda is long overdue.
Find out more at: Net Zero Watch
