The minister of state for science, innovation and investment (also known as the science minister) is a mid-level position in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and Department of Health and Social Care in the British government. It was created by the Starmer ministry in 2025.
From 2016 to 2023, the minister was based at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and was based in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology between 2023 and 2026 and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero between 2025 and 2026.
Responsibilities
List of ministers NamePortraitTook officeLeft officePolitical partyPrime MinisterParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and TechnologyIan Taylor MP for Esher20 July 19942 May 1997ConservativeJohn MajorParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and InnovationDavid Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville27 July 199810 November 2006LabourTony BlairMinister of State for Science and InnovationMalcolm Wicks MP for Croydon North10 November 200628 June 2007LabourTony BlairIan Pearson MP for Dudley South28 June 20075 October 2008LabourGordon BrownPaul Drayson, Baron Drayson3 October 200811 May 2010LabourMinister of State for Universities and ScienceDavid Willetts MP for Havant11 May 201014 July 2014Conservative David CameronMinister of State for Universities, Science and CitiesGreg Clark MP for Tunbridge Wells15 July 201411 May 2015Conservative David CameronMinister of State for Universities, Science, Research and InnovationJo Johnson MP for Orpington11 May 20159 January 2018ConservativeDavid CameronTheresa MaySam Gyimah MP for East Surrey9 January 201830 November 2018ConservativeChris Skidmore MP for Kingswood5 December 201824 July 2019ConservativeJo Johnson MP for Orpington24 July 20195 September 2019ConservativeBoris JohnsonChris Skidmore MP for Kingswood10 September 201913 February 2020ConservativeParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and InnovationAmanda Solloway MP for Derby North14 February 202017 September 2021ConservativeBoris JohnsonGeorge Freeman MP for Mid Norfolk17 September 20217 July 2022ConservativeMinister of State for Science and Investment SecurityNus Ghani MP for Wealden7 September 202226 October 2022ConservativeLiz TrussMinister of State for Science, Research and InnovationGeorge Freeman MP for Mid Norfolk26 October 202213 November 2023ConservativeRishi SunakAndrew Griffith MP for Arundel and South Downs13 November 20235 July 2024ConservativePatrick Vallance, Baron Vallance of Balham5 July 20246 September 2025LabourKeir StarmerMinister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and NuclearPatrick Vallance, Baron Vallance of Balham6 September 202520 July 2026LabourKeir StarmerMinister of State for Science, Innovation and InvestmentChris McDonald21 July 2026IncumbentLabourAndy Burnham
See also Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Ministry of Science
References