UK Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, Announces his Ministerial team. (July 5, 2007)

    Below is the UK government's media release announcing specific responsibilities within the newly formed Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.
The Department's primary role will be to drive forward delivery of the Government's long-term vision to make Britain one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation and to raise the level of education and skills at every level in our economy to give the UK the competitive edge.

THE RT HON JOHN DENHAM: SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS. Overall responsibility for the Department.

BILL RAMMELL: MINISTER OF STATE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION. Responsible for:

* Further Education strategy and implementation
* Skills strategy and implementation, including Leitch delivery
* The Learning and Skills Council
* Standards and performance in further education and skills, including the Quality Improvement Agency
* Higher Education strategy and implementation, including widening participation and part-time learners
* Employer Engagement in Higher Education
* The Higher Education Funding Council for England
* Student finance policy
* Liaison between further and higher education
* International relations and the Joint International Unit, including the Prime Minister's initiative on overseas HE students
* Liaison with the Department for Children, Schools and Families
* Liaison with the Department for Work and Pensions

IAN PEARSON: MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION. Responsible for:

* Business and Science
* The Research Base
* The Research Councils
* Innovation
* The Technology Strategy Board
* British National Space Centre
* National Weights and Measures Laboratory
* The Design Council
* The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, liaising with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
* Liaison with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
* Energy Technologies Institute
* Commission for Environmental Markets and Economic Performance

DAVID LAMMY: PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SKILLS. Responsible for:

* The Commission for Employment and Skills
* Sector Skills Councils and employer relations
* The Train to Gain programme
* National Skills Academies
* Apprenticeships
* Offender learning and skills
* Skills competitions, World Skills, and links to the Olympics
* Investors in People UK
* Ufi learndirect
* Industry Training Boards
* Union learning, including union learning representatives and unionlearn
* Leitch implementation plan
* Diversity aspects of skills

LORD TRIESMAN: PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND QUALITY. Lords Minister for the whole Department and responsible for:

* The Student Loans Company (and Customer First programme)
* The student loan debt sale
* Endowments and voluntary giving for higher education
* Quality assurance of Higher Education
* UK-Intellectual Property Office
* Students as 'customers'
* Scenario building across DIUS
* Departmental efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.