Hendry offers continuity to UK oil industry

The appointment of Charles Hendry to the position of energy minister offers the UK oil industry a sense of continuity during the change in government, according to Oil and Gas UK.

The gas and oil industry association has welcomed the incoming government, including Chris Huhne's appointment as secretary of state for energy and climate change, and Greg Barker's appointment as minister of state for energy.

But it is Mr Hendry's appointment that pleases Oil and Gas UK chief executive Malcolm Webb, due to his pre-existing involvement in government on energy issues.

"We are particularly pleased to see Charles Hendry - who has been the shadow energy minister for the past four years - confirmed in his new post," he says.

"This will bring much-needed continuity to this important role."

Oil and Gas UK's health and safety director Robert Paterson recently claimed that it is the authorities' lack of interference that allows UK operators to maintain good safety records.

He explained that this is because they can adopt new technologies immediately to improve safety, without having to wait for them to be approved by legislators.