The energy industry has to take action before Tuesday to ensure energy is fully included in a Select Committee inquiry on industrial strategy. That is because 27 September is the deadline for written submissions for an inquiry that could influence the new energy department’s agenda.

The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee opened its industrial strategy inquiry on 1 August, after “industry” was added to the responsibilities of the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The new Department also took on energy and climate responsibilities to become the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The BIS committee has meanwhile taken the role of energy policy scrutiny that had previously been filled by the highly influential – and often outspoken – Energy and Climate Change Committee, which is being disbanded.

Delegates at this week’s BIEE meeting were taken by surprise by the industrial inquiry and were concerned that energy should be represented alongside other key industries. It is not clear yet whether energy representatives will be called as witnesses.

The web page says the inquiry will consider what the government means by industrial strategy and questions how interventionist in the free market it should be, such as whether it should prevent foreign takeover of UK companies.

It will also consider priorities for the private sector, what businesses want from a revamped industrial strategy, the pros and cons of a sectorial approach and possible geographical emphasis.