| United Kingdom Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | |
|---|---|
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| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | |
| Style |
|
| Type | Minister of the Crown |
| Status | Secretary of State |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | The Prime Minister |
| Seat | Westminster |
| Nominator | The Prime Minister |
| Appointer | The Monarch (on the advice of thePrime Minister) |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation |
|
| First holder | Quintin Hogg (as Minister for Science) |
| Salary | £159,038 per annum (2022)[1] (including £86,584MP salary)[2] |
| Website | Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology |
Thesecretary of state for science, innovation and technology is asecretary of state in thegovernment of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for theDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology.[3][4] The incumbent is a member of theCabinet of the United Kingdom.[5]
The responsibilities of the secretary of state include:[4]
In 1915 aPrivy Council Committee for Scientific and Industrial Research' consisting at first of six ministers and three other privy councillors in their personal capacities was established.[6] Because of the close connection between education and research, thePresident of the Board of Education was nominated as vice-president of the committee of the Privy Council. With the increasing importance of the industrial side of research, these initial arrangements soon became inadequate.
Consequently, in December 1916 a separateDepartment of Scientific and Industrial Research was created which headed by thelord president of the Council.[6] In 1959 responsibility for science was given to a separateminister for science.[7] The only holder of this office wasQuintin Hogg (then 2ndViscount Hailsham) who until October 1959 had been Lord President of the Council.
In 1964 the offices of Minister for Science andMinister of Education were merged to create the position ofSecretary of State for Education and Science with Quintin Hogg remaining in post.[8] From June 1970 to March 1974, this post was held by futurePrime MinisterMargaret Thatcher.
In 1992, the responsibility forscience was transferred to theOffice of Science and Technology initially based in theCabinet Office.[9] In 1995 responsibility was transferred to thesecretary of state for trade and industry.
In 2007, underGordon Brown's new premiership, the position ofSecretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created, this role took over responsibility for science and innovation from the secretary of state for trade and industry and responsibility forhigher education from thesecretary of state for education and skills.[10] In 2009 the responsibilities of the secretaries of state for business, enterprise and regulatory reform and innovation, universities and skills were merged to created the position ofSecretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.[11] In July 2016, Prime MinisterTheresa May decided to merge theDepartment for Energy and Climate Change into this department resulting in the position being renamed toSecretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The current office was created by agovernment reshuffle on 7 February 2023, combining responsibilities from theDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy with responsibilities from theDepartment for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and from theGovernment Office for Science.[12] The department and secretary of state have responsibilities to "deliver improved public services, create new and better-paid jobs and grow the economy."[3]
Colour key (for political parties):
Conservative
| Minister | Took office | Left office | Political party | Ministry | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Quintin Hogg (Viscount Hailsham 1950-1963) | 3 November 1959[7] | 31 March 1964 | Conservative | Harold Macmillan | ||
| Alec Douglas-Home | |||||||
| Functions transferred to the Secretary of State for Education and Science.[8] | |||||||
Colour key (for political parties):
Conservative Labour
| Secretary of State | Took office | Left office | Political party | Ministry | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quintin Hogg (formerly Viscount Hailsham) | 1 April 1964 | 16 October 1964 | Conservative | Alec Douglas-Home | ||
 | Michael Stewart | 18 October 1964 | 22 January 1965 | Labour | Harold Wilson | ||
.jpg) | Anthony Crosland | 22 January 1965 | 29 August 1967 | Labour | |||
 | Patrick Gordon Walker | 29 August 1967 | 6 April 1968 | Labour | |||
 | Edward Short | 6 April 1968 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | |||
 | Margaret Thatcher[13] | 20 June 1970 | 4 March 1974 | Conservative | Edward Heath | ||
| Reginald Prentice[14] | 5 March 1974 | 9 June 1975 | Labour | Harold Wilson | ||
 | Fred Mulley[15] | 10 June 1975 | 9 September 1976 | Labour | |||
| James Callaghan | |||||||
 | Shirley Williams[16] | 10 September 1976 | 4 May 1979 | Labour | |||
| Mark Carlisle | 5 May 1979 | 14 September 1981 | Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | ||
_Crop_(cropped).jpg) | Keith Joseph[17] | 14 September 1981 | 20 May 1986 | Conservative | |||
 | Kenneth Baker[18] | 21 May 1986 | 23 July 1989 | Conservative | |||
 | John MacGregor[19] | 24 July 1989 | 1 November 1990 | Conservative | |||
.gif) | Kenneth Clarke[20] | 2 November 1990 | 9 April 1992 | Conservative | |||
| John Major | |||||||
| Functions transferred to theCabinet Office.[9] | |||||||
Colour key (for political parties):
Labour
| Secretary of State | Took office | Left office | Political party | Ministry | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | John Denham[21] MP forSouthampton Itchen | 28 June 2007 | 5 June 2009 | Labour | Gordon Brown | ||
| Functions transferred to theSecretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.[11] | |||||||
Colour key (for political parties):
Conservative Labour
| Secretary of State | Took office | Left office | Political party | Ministry | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Michelle Donelan MP forChippenham | 7 February 2023 | 28 April 2023 | Conservative | Rishi Sunak | ||
.jpg) | Chloe Smith[a] MP forNorwich North | 28 April 2023 | 20 July 2023 | ||||
.jpg) | Michelle Donelan MP forChippenham | 20 July 2023 | 5 July 2024 | ||||
_2.jpg) | Peter Kyle MP forHove and Portslade | 5 July 2024 | 5 September 2025 | Labour | Keir Starmer | ||
_2.jpg) | Liz Kendall MP forLeicester West | 5 September 2025 | Incumbent | ||||
| Minister for Science | | |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State for Education and Science | ||
| Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills | ||
| Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | ||
