Vice-President_of_the_Committee_on_Education

Secretary of State for Education

Secretary of State for Education

Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom

For the second-highest-ranking official of the Spanish Ministry of Education, see Secretary of State for Education (Spain).

The secretary of state for education, also referred to as the education secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department for Education.[3] The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

Quick Facts United Kingdom, Style ...

The office holder works alongside the other Education ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for education, and the work of the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the Education Select Committee.[4]

The current education secretary is Gillian Keegan.

Responsibilities

Corresponding to what is generally known as an education minister in many other countries, the education secretary's remit is concerned primarily with England. This includes:

  • Early years
  • Children's social care
  • Teacher recruitment and retention
  • The national curriculum
  • School improvement
  • Academies and free schools
  • Further education
  • Apprenticeships and skills
  • Higher education
  • Oversight of the departmental coronavirus (COVID-19) response
  • Oversight of school infrastructure improvement[5]

History

A committee of the Privy Council was appointed in 1839 to supervise the distribution of certain government grants in the education field.[6] The members of the committee were the Lord President of the Council, the Secretaries of State, the First Lord of the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. From 1857 a vice-president was appointed who took responsibility for policy.

On 1 April 1900, the Board of Education Act 1899 abolished the committee and instituted a new board, headed by a president. The members were initially very similar to the old committee and the president of the board was the Lord President of the council; however, from 1902 this ceased to be the case and the president of the board was appointed separately (although the Marquess of Londonderry happened to hold both jobs from 1903 to 1905).

The Education Act 1944 replaced the Board of Education with a new Ministry of Education.

The position of Secretary of State for Education and Science was created in 1964 with the merger of the offices of Minister of Education and the Minister of Science. The postholder oversaw the Department of Education and Science.

From June 1970 to March 1974, this post was held by future prime minister Margaret Thatcher.[7]

In 1992, the responsibility for science was transferred to Cabinet Office's Office of Public Service, and the department was renamed Department of Education. In 1995 the department merged with the Department of Employment to become the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) and in 2001 the employment functions were transferred to a newly created Department for Work and Pensions, with the DfEE becoming the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). In 2007 under Gordon Brown's new premiership, the DfES was split into two new departments; the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and a Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, under two new secretaries of state.

The ministerial office of the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills was, in late 2009, amalgamated into the new ministerial office of the resurgent politician Peter Mandelson, made a peer and given the title Lord Mandelson as the newly created Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills – itself an amalgamation of the responsibilities of the Secretaries of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Innovation, Universities and Skills. The Secretary of State has remit over higher education policy as well as British business and enterprise.

From 14 July 2016 to 8 January 2018 the post was held by Justine Greening, as her predecessor, Nicky Morgan, was sacked by Theresa May. Greening resigned after rejecting a reshuffle to the Department for Work and Pensions.[8]

On 7 July 2022, Michelle Donelan became the shortest-serving cabinet member in British history, when she resigned as Education Secretary 35 hours after being appointed.[9]

List of office holders

Vice-President of the Committee of the Council on Education (1857–1902)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Whig   Conservative   Liberal

More information Vice-President of the Committee, Term of office ...

President of the Board of Education (1900–1944)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Liberal Unionist   Conservative   Liberal   Labour   National Labour

More information President of the Board, Term of office ...

Minister of Education (1944–1964)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

More information Minister, Term of office ...

Secretary of State for Education and Science (1964–1992)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

More information Term of office, Party ...

Secretary of State for Education (1992–1995)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative

More information Term of office, Party ...

Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1995–2001)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

More information Term of office, Party ...

Secretary of State for Education and Skills (2001–2007)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Labour

More information Term of office, Party ...

Secretaries of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007–2010); and Innovation, Universities and Skills (2007–2009)

In 2007, the education portfolio was divided between the Department for Children, Schools and Families (responsible for infant, primary and secondary education) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (responsible for further, higher and adult education). In 2009, the latter department was merged into the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

Main article: Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
More information Name, Portrait ...

Colour key (for political parties):
  Labour   Labour Co-op

Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills

Main article: Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
More information Name, Portrait ...

Colour key (for political parties):
  Labour

Secretary of State for Education (2010–present)

The Department for Education and the post of Secretary of State for Education were recreated in 2010.

Responsibility for higher and adult education remained with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Vince Cable 2010–2015, Sajid Javid 2015–2016), until reunited with the Department for Education in 2016.

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative

More information Term of office, Party ...

* Incumbent's length of term last updated: 19 April 2024.

Timeline of education secretaries

Gillian KeeganKit MalthouseJames CleverlyMichelle DonelanNadhim ZahawiGavin WilliamsonDamian HindsJustine GreeningNicky MorganMichael GoveJohn Denham (politician)Ed BallsAlan JohnsonRuth KellyCharles ClarkeEstelle MorrisDavid BlunkettGillian ShephardJohn Patten, Baron PattenKenneth ClarkeJohn MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham MarketKenneth Baker, Baron Baker of DorkingKeith JosephMark CarlisleShirley WilliamsFred MulleyReginald PrenticeMargaret ThatcherEdward Short, Baron GlenamaraPatrick Gordon WalkerAnthony CroslandMichael Stewart, Baron Stewart of FulhamEdward Boyle, Baron Boyle of HandsworthGeoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-LloydQuintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St MaryleboneDavid Eccles, 1st Viscount EcclesFlorence Horsbrugh, Baroness HorsbrughGeorge Tomlinson (British politician)Ellen WilkinsonRichard Law, 1st Baron ColeraineRab ButlerHerwald Ramsbotham, 1st Viscount SoulburyHerbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La WarrJames Stanhope, 7th Earl StanhopeOliver StanleyDonald Maclean (British politician)Hastings Lees-SmithEustace Percy, 1st Baron Percy of NewcastleSir Charles Trevelyan, 3rd BaronetEdward Wood, 1st Earl of HalifaxH. A. L. FisherRobert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of CreweArthur HendersonJack Pease, 1st Baron GainfordWalter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of DoxfordReginald McKennaAugustine BirrellCharles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of LondonderrySpencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of DevonshireJohn Eldon GorstSir Arthur Dyke Acland, 13th BaronetWilliam Hart DykeLyon PlayfairHenry Holland, 1st Viscount KnutsfordEdward StanhopeA. J. MundellaLord George HamiltonDudley Ryder, 3rd Earl of HarrowbyWilliam Edward ForsterHenry Bruce, Lord Robert MontaguHenry Lowry-Corry (1803–1873)Henry Bruce, 1st Baron AberdareRobert LoweCharles Adderley, 1st Baron NortonWilliam Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple

References

  1. [1]
    "Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23" (PDF). 15 December 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Pay and expenses for MPs". parliament.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Secretary of State for Education". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. [4]
    "Work of the Education Secretary Committee". BBC PARLIAMENT. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2022. Recorded coverage of the Education select committee on the work of the Secretary of State with Education Secretary Michael Gove
  5. [5]
    "Secretary of State for Education – GOV.UK". gov.uk.
  6. [6]
    "Records created or inherited by the Department of Education and Science, and of related bodies". The National Archives. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  7. [7]
    Wilby, Peter (2020). "Is Gavin Williamson the worst education secretary ever?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 February 2021. Margaret Thatcher, the only education secretary so far who went on to become prime minister
  8. [8]
    "Reshuffle: Greening quits government". BBC News. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  9. [9]
    Gutteridge, Nick (7 July 2022). "Minister who quit after 35 hours is in line for £17,000 payout". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. [10]
    "No. 27172". The London Gazette. 9 March 1900. p. 1609.
  11. [11]
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  35. [35]
    @10DowningStreet (7 July 2022). "The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP @JamesCleverly has been appointed Secretary of State for Education @educationgovuk" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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    @10DowningStreet (6 September 2022). "The Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP @KitMalthouse as Secretary of State for Education @EducationGovUK #Reshuffle" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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