Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear

Not to be confused with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation.

United Kingdom Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent Patrick Vallance, Baron Vallance of Balham since 6 September 2025
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Appointer	The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation	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)
First holder	Ian Taylor
Website	www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state-minister-for-science-innovation-research-and-nuclear

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.

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 Life peer		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		28 June 2007	5 October 2008	Labour		Gordon Brown
	Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson Life peer		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		11 May 2015	9 January 2018	Conservative		David Cameron
							Theresa May
	Sam Gyimah MP for East Surrey		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		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		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 Life peer		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 Life peer		6 September 2025	Incumbent	Labour		Keir Starmer

See also

• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Ministry of Science

References

1. "Minister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
2. "Minister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
3. Gaind, Nisha; Vesper, Inga (2018-12-05). "Government loyalist appointed new UK science minister as Brexit woes continue" . Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-07655-9. S2CID   158206538.
4. "George Freeman confirmed as new UK science minister". 17 September 2021.