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Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

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Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

100 Parliament Street, Westminster
Department overview
Formed7 February 2023 (2023-02-07)
Preceding agencies
TypeUK Government Department
JurisdictionGovernment of the United Kingdom
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Secretary of State responsible
Department executives
Child agencies
Websitegov.uk/dsit

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)[1] is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was established on 7 February 2023 by a cabinet reshuffle under the Rishi Sunak premiership.

The department took on policy responsibilities from the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The new department is responsible for helping to encourage, develop and manage the UK's scientific, research, and technological outputs. DSIT is also responsible for managing the necessary physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support the British economy, UK public services, national security, and wider UK Government priorities.[2]

The department is led by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, supported by a number of junior ministers, and senior civil servants. The incumbent Secretary of State is Peter Kyle.

History

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The department was established on 7 February 2023 after a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. It absorbed some of the functions and responsibilities of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the 'Digital' portfolio from the former Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The new department's first Secretary of State, Michelle Donelan, was the final Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Additionally, the new department became responsible for a number of agencies and offices drawn from across the rest of the UK Government. These included the Government Office for Science (formerly under BEIS), the Office for Science and Technology Strategy (formerly of the Cabinet Office), the Office for Life Sciences (jointly with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), formerly a BEIS-DHSC joint unit) and the Office for Artificial Intelligence (formerly of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport).[3]

Responsibilities

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The following responsibilities of DSIT were outlined by Rishi Sunak upon the department's establishment in 2023.

Research and innovation

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DSIT is responsible for positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement. It is intended for the department to drive innovation that changes lives and sustains economic growth. It will do this by maintaining and developing the physical and digital infrastructure and regulation necessary to support the UK economy and public services, and UK national security.[2]

Another stated responsibility of the department is to put British public services, including the NHS and schools at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working (with an express focus on STEM subjects to improve outcomes for people.[2]

DSIT is further responsible for managing the UK Government's Research and Development schemes, aiming to optimise public investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private investment in an effort to make the UK economy the "most innovative" in the world. Moreover, DSIT is charged with promoting a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure. This is with the professed intention of making the UK the "best place" to start and grow a technology business or to develop and attract "top talent". DSIT also functions as a means of strengthening international collaboration on science and technology in line with the findings of the 2021 Integrated Review, and to ensure that British researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.[2]

Legislation and regulation

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On a legislative and regulatory level, DSIT is responsible for delivering key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation. This includes completing the passage of new digital and data laws. DSIT is also responsible for leading the UK Government's pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.[2]

Ministers

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The Department's ministerial team is as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold:[4][5]

Minister Portrait Office Portfolio
Peter Kyle MP Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology:
  • Online Safety Act 2023
  • oversight of science and technology
  • economic and national security
  • skills and talent
  • landscape review
  • research bureaucracy
  • regulation
  • overall R&D budget
  • Horizon Europe
  • Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)
  • UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) relationship
  • OneWeb shareholding
  • British Technology Investments Ltd
Lord Vallance of Balham Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation
  • Domestic science and research ecosystem, including Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs)
  • International science and research, including space science
  • Horizon Europe
  • R&D
  • Life sciences
  • Quantum, engineering biology and semiconductors
  • Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)
  • Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT)
  • UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
  • Tech and innovation across the missions
  • Regulatory Innovation Office
Sir Chris Bryant MP Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms
  • Digital infrastructure and telecoms
  • Building Digital UK (BDUK)
  • Data protection (including Data Bill)
  • Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
  • Digital inclusion
  • Space sector growth and UK Space Agency (UKSA)
Feryal Clark MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Digital Government
  • AI Safety Institute
  • AI transparency and ethics
  • AI regulation
  • AI opportunities
  • Large scale compute review
  • Cybersecurity
  • Digital public services
  • Digital Centre of Government
  • Digital identity policy  
  • Copyright Tribunal
  • Intellectual Property Office (IPO)
  • Corporate Minister
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety
  • Online safety and counter-disinformation
  • Digital Markets Unit
  • Tech policy and market facing technology, including skills
  • National Data Library
  • International strategy, including electronic trade
  • Economic security
  • Technology diffusion
  • Technology investment
  • National security and resilience
  • Geospatial Commission

The department's ministers are supported by the department's civil servants under the leadership of a Permanent Secretary. The incumbent Permanent Secretary is Sarah Munby; previously the final Permanent Secretary at the now defunct Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.[6]

The Government Chief Scientific Adviser is also attached to the department, and holds the rank of Permanent Secretary. The incumbent Chief Scientific Adviser is Dame Angela McLean.[7] The National Technology Advisor is also based within the department.

Agencies and public bodies

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The following agencies and public bodies are sponsored by DSIT.[8]

Executive agencies

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Executive non-departmental public bodies

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Tribunals

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Public corporations

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Other

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Science, innovation and technology takes top seat at Cabinet table – GOV.UK". gov.uk. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Making Government Deliver for the British People: Updating the machinery of government for the world of today and of tomorrow (PDF). UK Government. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023. Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  3. ^ Crerar, Pippa; Elgot, Jessica (7 February 2023). "Rishi Sunak appoints Greg Hands as Conservative party chair in cabinet mini-reshuffle". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Our Ministers". GOV.UK. HM Government. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: February 2023". GOV.UK. HM Government. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  6. ^ Rutter, Jill (8 February 2023). "Will Sunak's reorganisation of government work and will it last?". UK In A Changing Europe. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  7. ^ "New Government Chief Scientific Adviser Appointed". GOV.UK. HM Government. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Departments, agencies and public bodies". GOV.UK. HM Government. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
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