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Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear
Junior minister in the British Government
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The minister of state for science, innovation, research and nuclear[1] (also known as the science minister) is a mid-level position in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in the British government. It was created by the Starmer ministry in 2025.
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on advice of the Prime Minister
- 20 July 1994:
(as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Technology) - 6 September 2025:
(as Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear)
| United Kingdom Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear | |
|---|---|
| |
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | |
| Appointer | The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister |
| Formation |
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| First holder | Ian Taylor |
| Website | www |
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From 2016 to 2023, the minister was based at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Responsibilities
The minister has responsibility of the following policy areas: [2]
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology responsibilities include:
- Domestic science and research ecosystem
- International science and research
- Horizon Europe
- Research and development
- Life sciences
- Quantum and engineering biology
- Tech and innovation across the missions
- Talent - universities
- Oxford – Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero responsibilities include:
- Nuclear
- Fusion
- Science and innovation for climate and energy
- AI in the energy sector
- Research and development
List of ministers
| Name | Portrait | Took office | Left office | Political party | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Technology | |||||||
| Ian Taylor
MP for Esher |
 |
20 July 1994 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative | John Major | ||
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation Role formed out of Minister of State for Science, Energy and Industry | |||||||
| David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville | .jpg) |
27 July 1998 | 10 November 2006 | Labour | Tony Blair | ||
| Minister of State for Science and Innovation | |||||||
| Malcolm Wicks
MP for Croydon North |
 |
10 November 2006 | 28 June 2007 | Labour | Tony Blair | ||
| Ian Pearson
MP for Dudley South |
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28 June 2007 | 5 October 2008 | Labour | Gordon Brown | ||
| Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson |  |
3 October 2008 | 11 May 2010 | Labour | |||
| Minister of State for Universities and Science | |||||||
| David Willetts
MP for Havant |
 |
11 May 2010 | 14 July 2014 | Conservative | David Cameron | ||
| Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities | |||||||
| Greg Clark
MP for Royal Tunbridge Wells |
 |
15 July 2014 | 11 May 2015 | Conservative | David Cameron | ||
| Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation | |||||||
| Jo Johnson
MP for Orpington |
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11 May 2015 | 9 January 2018 | Conservative | David Cameron | ||
| Theresa May | |||||||
| Sam Gyimah
MP for East Surrey |
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9 January 2018 | 30 November 2018 | Conservative | |||
| Chris Skidmore[3]
MP for Kingswood |
 |
5 December 2018 | 24 July 2019 | Conservative | |||
| Jo Johnson
MP for Orpington |
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24 July 2019 | 5 September 2019 | Conservative | Boris Johnson | ||
| Chris Skidmore
MP for Kingswood |
|
10 September 2019 | 13 February 2020 | Conservative | |||
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and Innovation | |||||||
| Amanda Solloway
MP for Derby North |
 |
14 February 2020 | 17 September 2021 | Conservative | Boris Johnson | ||
| George Freeman
MP for Mid Norfolk |
 |
17 September 2021[4] | 7 July 2022 | Conservative | |||
| Minister of State for Science and Investment Security | |||||||
| Nus Ghani
MP for Wealden |
 |
7 September 2022 | 26 October 2022 | Conservative | Liz Truss | ||
| Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation (since 7 February 2023 in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) | |||||||
| George Freeman
MP for Mid Norfolk |
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26 October 2022 | 13 November 2023 | Conservative | Rishi Sunak | ||
| Andrew Griffith
MP for Arundel and South Downs |
 |
13 November 2023 | 5 July 2024 | Conservative | |||
| Patrick Vallance, Baron Vallance of Balham |  |
5 July 2024 | 6 September 2025 | Labour | Keir Starmer | ||
| Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear (in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) | |||||||
| Patrick Vallance, Baron Vallance of Balham | _(cropped).jpg) |
6 September 2025 | Incumbent | Labour | Keir Starmer | ||