Catalogue description Records of the Power Divisions, and predecessors

The Fuel and Nationalised Industry Policy Division (FNI) was created in 1969 when the Ministry of Power was merged into the Ministry of Technology (Mintech). The new division absorbed part of the work of the Ministry of Power's former Accountant General's Division (AGD), and also the former ministry's Establishments Division Branch II (which became Branch 4 in the new division).

In 1970, with the abolition of Mintech, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) took over the power responsibilities that Mintech had inherited from the Ministry of Power. It therefore acquired the Iron and Steel Division, the Chief Scientist (Energy) Division, the Mines Inspectorate and its regional organisation, the Safety in Mines Research Establishment, the Coal Division, the Gas and Electricity Divisions, the Atomic Energy Division and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (formerly the Nuclear Inspectorate), the Petroleum Division, the Fuel and Power Statistics Division, and the Safety and Health Division. A new Industrial Resources Review Division was created. Subsequently a Scottish Petroleum Office was established, and corresponding changes were made in the organisation of the department, to deal with offshore oil and other aspects of oil development.

The FNI Division also transferred to the DTI in 1970 and absorbed some of the former ministry's residual power functions. In 1971 the staff and functions of Branch 4 moved briefly to the Central Secretariat. In June 1972, a Public Appointments and Honours Branch (PAH) was set up in the DTI's Establishment, Senior Staff Management Division.

FNI Division dealt generally with fuel policy and co-ordination and nationalised industry policy. It was also concerned with appointments, salaries and superannuation of people on the boards of nationalised industries. The main interests of the PAH Branch were described as being 'terms and conditions of appointment, including salary, pension and compensation questions of members of boards of nationalised industries and public bodies and people suitable for public appointments'. Its responsibilities also included the development of nationalised industry and energy policy and the co-ordination of civil emergency preparations in the energy sector.

In November 1973, the division was disbanded. Its work was divided primarily between two divisions:

• Energy Policy Division (ENP), which dealt with national and international energy policy matters
• Nationalised Industries Policy Branch (NIP), initially located within Coal Division, which took over the work of Branch 3 of the former FNI.

A further re-organisation in September 1974 saw PAH Branch move to the Establishment, Management Services and Manpower Division.

In 1974, all power functions were transferred to the Department of Energy, with the exception of iron and steel, which transferred to the Department of Industry.

Later, public appointments work was largely transferred to the appropriate sponsor division, leaving a residue of regular work about pay, pensions, fees and allowances paid to people appointed to public bodies. In the early 1980s these residual functions were transferred to DTI's Personnel Management Division.