DTI makes a comeback
The rebranded Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry is no more.
In what must be the shortest-lived government department ever, only one week after being christened the DPEI it has reverted to being known as the Department of Trade and Industry.
Prime Minister Tony Blair was persuaded by Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson to change back to the original name amid criticism by business.
According to Mr Johnson, the CBI thought the new title sounded like “old fashioned corporatism”, and the unions “weren’t keen on it either”.
He told the Financial Times newspaper that changing back to the old name just required a man with a screwdriver to replace the sign outside the department’s headquarters.
A spokesman for the DTI said: “The secretary has been listening to feedback from stakeholders who had identified concerns about the loss of the word ‘trade’ in our name.
“They also had concerns about possible money that might be spent on rebranding.”
The department’s website has now reverted back to carrying the DTI logo and signage.
But the Prime Minister has been less quick to adjust his own website. At the time of writing the Downing Street website was still describing Mr Johnson as the Secretary of State for Productivity, Energy and Industry.
