Secretary of State for Education

The Secretary of State for Education, also referred to as the Education Secretary, is a senior Minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of the Department for Education. The office forms part of the British Cabinet.

Not to be confused with the Secretary of State for Education, the second-highest-authority of the Ministry of Education of Spain.


Secretary of State
for Education
Incumbent
Gavin Williamson
since 24 July 2019
Department for Education
StyleEducation Secretary
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(UK and the Commonwealth)
StatusMinister of the Crown
Member ofCabinet
Privy Council
Reports toThe Prime Minister
SeatWestminster
AppointerThe Crown
on advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt Her Majesty's Pleasure
Formation10 April 1992
First holderWilliam Cowper-Temple
as Committee of the Council on Education (5 February 1857)
John Patten
as Secretary of State for Education
Websitewww.gov.uk
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The current Secretary of State for Education is Gavin Williamson, MP since his appointment by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in July 2019.

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:

History

A committee of the Privy Council was appointed in 1839 to supervise the distribution of certain government grants in the education field. 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 Department of Education and Science was created in 1964 with the merger of the offices of Minister of Education and the Minister of Science.

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 January 8, 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.[2]

List of office holders

Vice-President of the Committee of the Council on Education

Colour key (for political parties):
  Whig   Conservative   Liberal

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
William Cowper 5 February 1857 21 February 1858 1 year and 16 days Whig The Viscount Palmerston
Charles Adderley 12 March 1858 11 June 1859 1 year, 2 months and 30 days Conservative The Earl of Derby
Robert Lowe 24 June 1859 26 April 1864
(resigned)		 4 years, 10 months and 2 days Liberal The Viscount Palmerston
Henry Bruce 26 April 1864 26 June 1866 2 years and 2 months Liberal
The Earl Russell
Henry Lowry-Corry 26 June 1866 19 March 1867 8 months and 21 days Conservative The Earl of Derby
Lord Robert Montagu 19 March 1867 1 December 1868 1 year, 8 months and 12 days Conservative
Benjamin Disraeli
William Edward Forster 9 December 1868 17 February 1874 5 years, 2 months and 8 days Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Viscount Sandon 2 March 1874 4 April 1878 4 years, 1 month and 2 days Conservative Benjamin Disraeli
Lord George Hamilton 4 April 1878 21 April 1880 2 years and 17 days Conservative
A. J. Mundella 3 May 1880 9 June 1885 5 years, 1 month and 6 days Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Edward Stanhope 24 June 1885 17 September 1885 2 months and 24 days Conservative The Marquess of Salisbury
Sir Henry Holland, Bt 17 September 1885 28 January 1886 4 months and 11 days Conservative
Sir Lyon Playfair 13 February 1886 20 July 1886 5 months and 7 days Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Sir Henry Holland, Bt 3 August 1886 25 January 1887 5 months and 22 days Conservative The Marquess of Salisbury
Sir William Hart Dyke, Bt 25 January 1887 11 August 1892 5 years, 6 months and 17 days Conservative
Arthur Dyke Acland 25 August 1892 21 June 1895 2 years, 9 months and 27 days Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
The Earl of Rosebery
Sir John Eldon Gorst 4 July 1895 8 August 1902 7 years, 1 month and 4 days Conservative The Marquess of Salisbury
(Unionist Coalition)

President of the Board of Education

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

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
The Duke of Devonshire
(also Lord President of the Council)		 3 March 1900[3] 8 August 1902 2 years, 5 months and 5 days Liberal Unionist The Marquess of Salisbury
(Unionist Coalition)
The Marquess of Londonderry
(also Lord President of the Council)		 11 August 1902 4 December 1905 3 years, 3 months and 23 days Conservative Arthur Balfour
(Unionist Coalition)
Augustine Birrell 10 December 1905 23 January 1907 1 year, 1 month and 13 days Liberal Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Reginald McKenna 23 January 1907 12 April 1908 1 year, 2 months and 20 days Liberal
Walter Runciman 12 April 1908 23 October 1911 3 years, 6 months and 11 days Liberal H. H. Asquith
Jack Pease 23 October 1911 25 May 1915 3 years, 7 months and 2 days Liberal
Arthur Henderson 25 May 1915 18 August 1916 1 year, 2 months and 24 days Labour H. H. Asquith
(Coalition)
The Marquess of Crewe 18 August 1916 10 December 1916 3 months and 22 days Liberal
Herbert Fisher 10 December 1916 19 October 1922 5 years, 10 months and 9 days Liberal David Lloyd George
(Coalition)
Edward Wood
(subsequently Lord Irwin
and Viscount Halifax)		 24 October 1922 22 January 1924 1 year, 2 months and 29 days Conservative Bonar Law
Stanley Baldwin
Charles Trevelyan 22 January 1924 3 November 1924 9 months and 12 days Labour Ramsay MacDonald
Lord Eustace Percy 6 November 1924 4 June 1929 4 years, 6 months and 29 days Conservative Stanley Baldwin
Sir Charles Trevelyan 7 June 1929 2 March 1931
(resigned)		 1 year, 8 months and 23 days Labour Ramsay MacDonald
Hastings Lees-Smith 2 March 1931 24 August 1931 5 months and 22 days Labour
Sir Donald Maclean 25 August 1931 15 June 1932
(died in office)		 9 months and 21 days Liberal Ramsay MacDonald
(1st & 2nd National Min.)
The Lord Irwin
(Viscount Halifax from 1934)		 15 June 1932 7 June 1935 2 years, 11 months and 23 days Conservative
Oliver Stanley 7 June 1935 28 May 1937 1 year, 11 months and 21 days Conservative Stanley Baldwin
(3rd National Min.)
The Earl Stanhope 28 May 1937 27 October 1938 1 year, 4 months and 29 days Conservative Neville Chamberlain
(4th National Min;
War Coalition)
The Earl De La Warr 27 October 1938 3 April 1940 1 year, 5 months and 7 days National Labour
Herwald Ramsbotham 3 April 1940 20 July 1941 1 year, 3 months and 17 days Conservative Winston Churchill
(War Coalition)
R. A. Butler 20 July 1941 3 August 1944 3 years and 14 days
(Cont. below)		 Conservative

Minister of Education

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
R. A. Butler 3 August 1944 25 May 1945 9 months and 22 days
(Cont. from above)		 Conservative Winston Churchill
(War Coalition)
Richard Law 25 May 1945 26 July 1945 2 months and 1 day Conservative Winston Churchill
(Caretaker Min.)
Ellen Wilkinson 3 August 1945 6 February 1947
(died in office)		 1 year, 6 months and 3 days Labour Clement Attlee
George Tomlinson 10 February 1947 26 October 1951 4 years, 8 months and 16 days Labour
Florence Horsbrugh 2 November 1951 18 October 1954 2 years, 11 months and 16 days Conservative Sir Winston Churchill
David Eccles 18 October 1954 13 January 1957 2 years, 2 months and 26 days Conservative
Sir Anthony Eden
The Viscount Hailsham 13 January 1957 17 September 1957 8 months and 4 days Conservative Harold Macmillan
Geoffrey Lloyd 17 September 1957 14 October 1959 2 years and 27 days Conservative
David Eccles 14 October 1959 13 July 1962 2 years, 8 months and 29 days Conservative
Sir Edward Boyle, Bt 13 July 1962 1 April 1964 1 year, 8 months and 19 days Conservative
Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Secretary of State for Education and Science

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
Quintin Hogg
(formerly Viscount Hailsham)		 1 April 1964 16 October 1964 6 months and 15 days Conservative Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Michael Stewart 18 October 1964 22 January 1965 3 months and 4 days Labour Harold Wilson
Anthony Crosland 22 January 1965 29 August 1967 2 years, 7 months and 7 days Labour
Patrick Gordon Walker 29 August 1967 6 April 1968 7 months and 8 days Labour
Edward Short 6 April 1968 19 June 1970 2 years, 2 months and 13 days Labour
Margaret Thatcher 20 June 1970 4 March 1974 3 years, 8 months and 12 days Conservative Edward Heath
Reginald Prentice 5 March 1974 10 June 1975 1 year, 3 months and 5 days Labour Harold Wilson
Fred Mulley 10 June 1975 10 September 1976 1 year and 3 months Labour
James Callaghan
Shirley Williams 10 September 1976 4 May 1979 2 years, 7 months and 24 days Labour
Mark Carlisle 5 May 1979 14 September 1981 2 years, 4 months and 9 days Conservative Margaret Thatcher
Sir Keith Joseph, Bt 14 September 1981 21 May 1986 4 years, 8 months and 7 days Conservative
Kenneth Baker 21 May 1986 24 July 1989 3 years, 2 months and 3 days Conservative
John MacGregor 24 July 1989 2 November 1990 1 year, 3 months and 9 days Conservative
Kenneth Clarke 2 November 1990 10 April 1992 1 year, 5 months and 8 days Conservative
John Major

Secretary of State for Education

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
John Patten 10 April 1992 20 July 1994 2 years, 3 months and 10 days Conservative John Major
Gillian Shephard 20 July 1994 5 July 1995 11 months and 15 days
(Cont. below)		 Conservative

Secretary of State for Education and Employment

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
Gillian Shephard 5 July 1995 2 May 1997 1 year, 9 months and 27 days
(Cont. from above)		 Conservative John Major
David Blunkett 2 May 1997 8 June 2001 4 years, 1 month and 6 days Labour Tony Blair

Secretary of State for Education and Skills

Colour key (for political parties):
  Labour

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
Estelle Morris 8 June 2001 24 October 2002
(resigned)		 1 year, 4 months and 16 days Labour Tony Blair
Charles Clarke 24 October 2002 15 December 2004 2 years, 1 month and 21 days Labour
Ruth Kelly 15 December 2004 5 May 2006 1 year, 4 months and 20 days Labour
Alan Johnson 5 May 2006 27 June 2007 1 year, 1 month and 23 days Labour

Secretaries of State for Children, Schools and Families; and Innovation, Universities and Skills

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.

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

Sec.State for Children,
Schools and Families		 Sec.State for Innovation,
Universities and Skills		 Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
Ed Balls John Denham 28 June 2007 5 June 2009 1 year, 11 months and 8 days Labour
Labour Co-op (Balls)		 Gordon Brown
Post abolished;
duties transferred to
Sec.State for Business,
Innovation and Skills.		 5 June 2009 11 May 2010 11 months and 6 days

Secretary of State for Education

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

Name Portrait Term of office Length of term Party Prime Minister
Michael Gove 11 May 2010 15 July 2014 4 years, 2 months and 4 days Conservative David Cameron
(Coalition)
Gove's tenure
Nicky Morgan 15 July 2014 14 July 2016 1 year, 11 months and 29 days Conservative
David Cameron
(II)
Justine Greening 14 July 2016 8 January 2018 1 year, 5 months and 25 days Conservative Theresa May
(I)
Theresa May
(II)
Damian Hinds 8 January 2018 24 July 2019 1 year, 6 months and 16 days Conservative
Gavin Williamson 24 July 2019 Incumbent 1 year, 6 months and 14 days* Conservative Boris Johnson
(I & II)

* Incumbent's length of term last updated: 7 February 2021.

References
  1. "Secretary of State for Education - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk.
  2. "Reshuffle: Greening quits government". BBC News. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  3. "No. 27172". The London Gazette. 9 March 1900. p. 1609.
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