Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology

The Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology is a junior Defence minister in the Ministry of Defence of Her Majesty's Government. The current incumbent of the post is Conservative MP, Philip Dunne, in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Government.

Origins

This ministerial post derives from that of two posts; the procurement aspects of this post were the responsibility of the Minister of Defence Procurement (either a Minister of State or the more junior, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State), while still the defence logistic aspects were the brief of the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

This post was created in 2007 to reflect the establishment of the Defence Equipment and Support organisation of the UK Ministry of Defence. Lord Drayson was appointed as its first incumbent.[1] Whilst Lord Drayson held the role as a Minister of State, all of his successors have been Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, the most junior ministerial rank in the British Government.

The post was retitled in 2010.

Responsibilities

The Minister is responsible for:

Ministers of State for Defence, 1979–1981

Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party
Euan Howard 6 May 1979 5 January 1981 Conservative
Thomas Trenchard 5 January 1981 29 May 1981 Conservative

Ministers for Defence Procurement, 1981–2007

Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party
Thomas Trenchard 29 May 1981 6 January 1983 Conservative
Geoffrey Pattie 6 January 1983 11 September 1984 Conservative
Adam Butler 11 September 1984 2 September 1985 Conservative
Norman Lamont 2 September 1985 21 May 1986 Conservative
David Trefgarne 21 May 1986 24 July 1989 Conservative
Alan Clark 24 July 1989 14 April 1992 Conservative
Jonathan Aitken 14 April 1992 20 July 1994 Conservative
Roger Freeman 20 July 1994 6 July 1995 Conservative
James Arbuthnot 6 July 1995 1 May 1997 Conservative
The Lord Gilbert 2 May 1997 July 1999 Labour
The Lady Symons July 1999 8 June 2001 Labour
The Lord Bach 8 June 2001 6 May 2005 Labour
The Lord Drayson 6 May 2005 6 March 2007 Labour

Ministers for Defence Equipment and Support, 2007–2010

Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party
The Lord Drayson 6 March 2007 7 November 2007 Labour
The Lady Taylor 7 November 2007 5 October 2008 Labour
Quentin Davies 5 October 2008 12 May 2010 Labour

Ministers for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, 2010–

Name Portrait Entered office Left office Political party
Peter Luff 9 June 2010 4 September 2012 Conservative
Philip Dunne 4 September 2012 Conservative

References

  1. ↑ Lord Drayson appointed minister