United Kingdom
Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education
Incumbent
Robert Halfon
since 26 October 2022 (2022-10-26)
Department for Education
StyleMinister
NominatorPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
AppointerThe Monarch
on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation2001 (Second Blair ministry)
First holderMargaret Hodge MP
Websitehttps://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state-minister-for-higher-and-further-education

The Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education,[1] formerly the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, Further and Higher Education, previously the Minister of State for Universities, is a mid-level position in the Department for Education in the British government. It has been held by Robert Halfon since October 2022.[2] The minister has oversight over skills and higher and further education, including universities and the Student Loans Company.

Under New Labour, the role was known as Minister of State for Higher Education and Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Under the Cameron–Clegg coalition and May ministries, the role became known as Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities and Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. The role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and Innovation was created out of this office.

Following the 2021 British cabinet reshuffle under the second Johnson ministry, the role was known as Minister of State for Higher and Further Education and the officeholder, Michelle Donelan, was given the right to attend Cabinet. Under Donelan's successor, Andrea Jenkyns, the position was demoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

At certain times, the Minister worked in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The short form Skills Minister is sometimes used.[3]

History

The minister once more attended cabinet after the 2021 British cabinet reshuffle.[4]

Responsibilities

The minister has the following responsibilities:[5]

  • Strategy for post-16 education
  • Higher technical education (levels 4 and 5)
  • Further education funding and accountability
  • Lifelong learning entitlement
  • Institutes of Technology and National Colleges
  • Universities and higher education reform
  • Higher education quality
  • Student finance (including the Student Loans Company)
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) response for universities, higher education institutions and further education services (jointly with Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills))

The position had increased prominence in 2020 and 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic affected further education and university education.[6]

List of ministers of state for higher and further education

Name Portrait Took office Left office Political party Prime Minister
Role created out of the Department for Education and Skills
Minister of State for Universities
Margaret Hodge

MP for Barking

11 June 2001 13 June 2003 Labour Tony Blair

(ll)

Minister of State for Higher Education
Alan Johnson

MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle

13 June 2003 8 September 2004 Labour Tony Blair

(ll)

Kim Howells

MP for Pontypridd

10 September 2004 11 May 2005 Labour Tony Blair

(ll)

Bill Rammell

MP for Harlow

11 May 2005 5 October 2008 Labour Tony Blair

(lll)

Gordon Brown

(l)

Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
David Lammy

the MP for Tottenham

28 June 2007 11 May 2010 Labour Gordon Brown

(l)

Minister of State for Universities, Science and Cities
David Willetts

MP for Havant

11 May 2010 14 July 2014 Conservative David Cameron

(Coalition)

Greg Clark

MP for Royal Tunbridge Wells

15 July 2014 11 May 2015 Conservative David Cameron

(Coalition)

Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation
Jo Johnson

MP for Orpington

11 May 2015 9 January 2018 Conservative David Cameron

(II)

Theresa May

(I) + (II)

Sam Gyimah

MP for East Surrey

9 January 2018 30 November 2018 Conservative Theresa May

(II)

Chris Skidmore[7]

MP for Kingswood

5 December 2018 24 July 2019 Conservative Theresa May

(II)

Jo Johnson

MP for Orpington

24 July 2019 5 September 2019 Conservative Boris Johnson

(l)

Chris Skidmore

MP for Kingswood

10 September 2019 13 February 2020 Conservative Boris Johnson

(l) + (ll)

Minister of State for Universities
Michelle Donelan

MP for Chippenham

13 February 2020 15 September 2021 Conservative Boris Johnson

(ll)

Minister of State for Higher and Further Education
Michelle Donelan

MP for Chippenham

15 September 2021 5 July 2022 Conservative Boris Johnson

(ll)

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, Further and Higher Education
Andrea Jenkyns

MP for Morley and Outwood

9 July 2022 8 September 2022 Conservative Boris Johnson

(ll)

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills
Andrea Jenkyns

MP for Morley and Outwood

8 September 2022 27 October 2022 Conservative Liz Truss

(l)

Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education
Robert Halfon

MP for Harlow

26 October 2022 Incumbent Conservative Rishi Sunak(I)

References

  1. "Minister of State (Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  2. "Minister of State (Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  3. "Two ministers make visit to Keighley". Rombalds Radio. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023. Skills Minister Robert Halfon
  4. "Cabinet reshuffle 2021: Who is in Boris Johnson's new cabinet?". BBC News. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  5. "Minister of State (Minister for Higher and Further Education) - GOV.UK". Gov.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. "Ministers urged to put pressure on universities over refunds for students". Shropshire Star. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. Gaind, Nisha; Vesper, Inga (5 December 2018). "Government loyalist appointed new UK science minister as Brexit woes continue". Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-07655-9. S2CID 158206538.

See also

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