Stephen Timms: The Balancing Act

When Stephen Timms became Minister for Energy, he already had a ministry to run. He had been Minister for e-Commerce since May 2002, and when Tony Blair asked him to replace Brian Wilson as energy minister, he accepted and took over the top seat of the DTI – the Department of Trade & Industry. He is now in charge of the Blair administration’s policy on energy and sustainable development, as well as e-commerce and postal services. A strange combination, some might say. And it may prove difficult to strike a balance between traditional fossil energy production and a new focus on renewable, environmentally friendly fuels. But Timms is determined to commit Britain to a modern, future-minded policy with focus on renewable energy.