Climate change minister Greg Barker has come under fire over links to the corporate clients of an adviser

The report in the Guardian said Barker adviser, Miriam Maes, made “repeated efforts” to get the minister to meet representatives from Air Products, a multinational energy-from-waste supplier, which is one of her clients.

The paper said she also accompanied Barker on official visits in place of civil servants and was cautioned by officials against overstepping the boundaries of propriety or conflicts of interest.

The paper disclosed emails between Maes and Barker, with Maes asking the minister to meet one of her clients.

The paper quotes one email sent directly to Barker in February 2011, which said: “This week we discussed briefly the request by one of my clients Air Products to meet with you … I will send a formal request in through [redacted] but could you give it a gentle nudge if needed?”

Air Products was seeking a 45-minute meeting with Barker to discuss their plans to build “the first large-scale renewable electricity plant in the UK”.

Barker replied: “Of course, let’s get it in the diary but let’s have a chat rather than email.”

Topics