 In the October 2008 government reshuffle, Hunt became Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of State for Sustainable Development, Climate Change Adaptation and Air Quality at both the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the newly created Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), later leaving DEFRA in 2009 to work solely at DECC.In June 2009, he was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council.He left his ministerial offices in May 2010 after Labour lost the general election.