Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

"DSIT" redirects here. For Distinguishing Sign of Vehicles in International Traffic, see International vehicle registration code.

Not to be confused with the preceding Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2017–2023), the defunct Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (2007–2009), or the historic Ministry of Technology (1964–1970) and Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1916–1965).

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.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

100 Parliament Street in Westminster
Department overview
Formed	7 February 2023 (2023-02-07)
Preceding agencies	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Type	UK Government Department
Jurisdiction	Government of the United Kingdom
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Secretary of State responsible	Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Department executives	Sarah Munby, Permanent Secretary Dame Angela McLean, Government Chief Scientific Adviser
Child agencies	Advanced Research and Invention Agency UK Space Agency Intellectual Property Office Building Digital UK Met Office UK Research and Innovation Ordnance Survey Council for Science and Technology Government Office for Science Regulatory Horizons Council National Physical Laboratory Copyright Tribunal Information Commissioner's Office
Website	gov.uk/dsit

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

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

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

Research and innovation

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

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

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

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

Executive agencies

• Building Digital UK
• Intellectual Property Office
• Met Office
• UK Space Agency

Executive non-departmental public bodies

• Advanced Research and Invention Agency
• Information Commissioner's Office
• UK Research and Innovation

Tribunals

• Copyright Tribunal

Public corporations

• National Physical Laboratory
• Ordnance Survey

Other

• British Technology Investments
• Government Digital Service
• Government Office for Science
• Ofcom
• Regulatory Horizons Council
• UK Shared Business Services

Former

• Central Digital and Data Office
• Incubator for Artificial Intelligence
• Phone-paid Services Authority

See also

• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2017–2023) – from which DSIT absorbed the digital portfolio.
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2016–2023) – defunct department from which DSIT inherited various responsibilities
• Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (2007–2009) – a defunct UK government department with a similar overall purpose.
• Ministry of Technology (1964–1970) – an historic UK government department with similar responsibilities.
• Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1916–1965) – an historic UK government department with similar responsibilities.