Minister of State for Competitiveness

The Minister of State for Competitiveness was an office held by a member of the United Kingdom government and appointed by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Minister of State for Competitiveness
Royal Arms as used by Her Majesty's Government
Department of Trade and Industry (1997–2007)
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (2007–2009)
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerElizabeth II
Inaugural holderIan McCartney
Formation12 July 2007
Final holderShriti Vadera, Baroness Vadera
Abolished11 May 2010

The position was created within the Department of Trade and Industry following Tony Blair's victory in the 1997 general election and was initially held by Ian McCartney.[1] The office was vacant between 1999 and 2001. From 2001 to 2002, it was held by Douglas Alexander and, from 2002 to 2004, by Stephen Timms; both having additional responsibility for e-Commerce.[2][3]

Following Gordon Brown's election as Labour leader and Prime Minister in July 2007, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was created and the position was re-established and held again by Timms until January 2008.[4][5][6] He was succeeded by Baroness Vadera, who served in the more junior role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with additional responsibilities for small business, deregulation, the British Business Council and the Cabinet Office. She left the post in June 2009, when the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was merged with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.[7][8]

Ministers of State for Competitiveness 1997–2010

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Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government
Minister of State for Competitiveness
  Ian McCartney
MP for Makerfield
5 May
1997
28 July
1999
Labour Blair I
Minister of State for e-Commerce and Competitiveness
  Douglas Alexander
MP for Paisley South
11 June
2001
29 May
2002
Labour Blair II
  Stephen Timms
MP for East Ham
29 May
2002
9 September
2004
Labour Blair II
Minister of State for Competitiveness
  Stephen Timms
MP for East Ham
12 July
2007
25 January
2008
Labour Brown
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competitiveness, Deregulation and British Business Council (until 2009)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competitiveness and Small Business
  Shriti Vadera, Baroness Vadera
25 January
2008
9 June
2009
Labour Brown

References

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  1. ^ "Ian McCartney, former MP, Makerfield". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Douglas Alexander, former MP, Paisley and Renfrewshire South". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Stephen Timms MP, East Ham". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP". parliament.uk. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Competitiveness to Keynote at Responsible Retail Summit". ResponseSource Press Release Wire. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. ^ Bill, Tom (25 January 2008). "Timms leaves his post as construction minister". Building Magazine. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Baroness Vadera". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Changes to the machinery of Government". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2020.