Minister for Defence Procurement

The Minister for Defence Procurement 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.

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. 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 as Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology. The current title of the post is unclear as it has been announced as both Minister for Defence Procurement and Minister for Defence Equipment, Technology and Support.

Responsibilities

The Minister is responsible for:

• The Defence Equipment Programme and through life Defence logistics support, including:
  • The Defence Equipment and Support Organisation
  • The Defence Electronics and Components Agency
  • The Defence Industrial Strategy

• Defence Science and Technology, including:-
  • DSTL, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
  • Commercial policy throughout the Department
  • Defence exports
  • International aspects of defence equipment and support

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	File:Alan Clark cropped.jpg	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/Minister for Defence Procurement, 2010–

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