The Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry is, as a Minister of State, a mid-level defence minister in the Ministry of Defence of the British Government. The current incumbent of the post, Labour MP Luke Pollard, was appointed in September 2025.
Origins This ministerial post derives from that of two posts: the procurement aspects of this post were the responsibility of the Minister of Defence Procurement (either a Minister of State or the more junior, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State), while the defence logistic aspects were the brief of the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.
This post was created in 2007 to reflect the establishment of the Defence Equipment and Support organisation of the UK Ministry of Defence. Lord Drayson was appointed as its first incumbent.Lord Drayson appointed minister Whilst Lord Drayson held the role as a Minister of State, all of his successors were Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, the most junior ministerial rank in the British Government, until the appointment of Jeremy Quin in 2020.
The post was retitled in 2010 as Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology. The current title of the post is unclear as it has been announced as both Minister for Defence ProcurementElection 2015: Prime Minister and ministerial appointments - 11 May 2015 and Minister for Defence Equipment, Technology and Support.Ministry of Defence Ministerial appointments finalised - 11 May 15
Responsibilities The Minister is responsible for: implementation of relevant SDR Vision and Recommendations oversight of the National Armaments Director Group departmental communications strategy and reform armed forces readiness and stockpiles Defence procurement, including reform and UK Defence Innovation submarine delivery Defence Industrial Strategy: implementation and growth Defence Exports Campaign and Office Defence Readiness Bill Ukraine support - military aid and industrial partnerships, including HIRST and KINDRED Defence industry relationships and the Defence Industrial Joint Council acquisition reform/UK Defence Innovation climate change and sustainability Defence estates, accommodation and Defence Infrastructure Organisation artificial intelligence and innovation science and technology Defence Afghanistan Relocation and Assistance Programme (ARAP) including eligibility applications and asylum oversight of Parliamentary engagement
List of ministers
Ministers of State for Defence for Equipment, 1967–1970 Minister Entered office Left office Political party Roy Mason 7 January 1967 16 April 1968 Labour John Morris 16 April 1968 19 June 1970
Minister of State for Defence, 1970–1972 Minister Entered office Left office Political party Prime Minister Lord Balniel 23 June 1970 5 November 1972 Conservative Edward Heath
Minister of State for Defence Procurement, 1971–1972 Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party Ian Gilmour 7 April 1971 5 November 1972 Conservative
Ministers of State for Defence, 1972–1981 Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party Ian Gilmour 5 November 1972 8 January 1974 Conservative George Younger 8 January 1974 4 March 1974 William Rodgers 4 March 1974 10 September 1976 Labour John Gilbert 10 September 1976 4 May 1979 Euan Howard 6 May 1979 5 January 1981 Conservative The Viscount Trenchard 5 January 1981 29 May 1981
Ministers of State for Defence Procurement, 1981–2007 Minister Entered office Left office Political party Prime Minister The Viscount Trenchard 29 May 1981 6 January 1983 Conservative Margaret Thatcher Geoffrey Pattie 6 January 1983 11 September 1984 Adam Butler 11 September 1984 2 September 1985 Norman Lamont 2 September 1985 21 May 1986 David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne 21 May 1986 24 July 1989 Alan Clark 24 July 1989 14 April 1992 John Major Jonathan Aitken 14 April 1992 20 July 1994 Roger Freeman 20 July 1994 6 July 1995 James Arbuthnot 6 July 1995 1 May 1997 John Gilbert, Baron Gilbert 2 May 1997 July 1999 Labour Tony Blair Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean July 1999 8 June 2001 William Bach, Baron Bach 8 June 2001 6 May 2005 Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson 6 May 2005 6 March 2007Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support, 2007–2012 Minister Entered office Left office Political party Prime Minister Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson 6 March 2007 7 November 2007 Labour Tony Blair Gordon Brown Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton 7 November 2007 5 October 2008 Quentin Davies 5 October 2008 12 May 2010 Peter Luff 9 June 2010 4 September 2012 Conservative David Cameron
Minister of State for Defence Procurement, 2012–2024 Minister Entered office Left office Political party Prime Minister Philip Dunne 4 September 2012 14 July 2016 Conservative David Cameron Harriett Baldwin 18 July 2016 9 January 2018 Theresa May Guto Bebb 9 January 2018 16 July 2018 Stuart Andrew 19 July 2018 27 July 2019 Anne-Marie Trevelyan 27 July 2019 16 December 2019 Boris Johnson James Heappey 16 December 2019 13 February 2020 Jeremy Quin 13 February 2020 7 September 2022 Alec Shelbrooke 7 September 2022 26 October 2022 Liz Truss Alex Chalk 27 October 2022 21 April 2023 Rishi Sunak James Cartlidge 21 April 2023 5 July 2024
Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry, 2024–2025 Maria Eagle8 July 20246 September 2025LabourKeir Starmer Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, 2025–present Luke Pollard6 September 2025incumbentLabourKeir StarmerAndy Burnham
References