<<

A guide to the Government for BIA members

Correct as of 29 November 2018

This is a briefing for BIA members on the Government and key ministerial appointments for our sector. It has been updated to reflect the changes in the Cabinet following the resignations in the aftermath of the government’s proposed deal.

The Conservative government does not have a parliamentary majority of MPs but has a confidence and supply deal with the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The DUP will support the government in key votes, such as on the Queen's Speech and Budgets. This gives the government a working majority of 13.

Contents: Ministerial and policy maker positions in the new Government relevant to the life sciences sector ...... 2 Ministerial brief for the Life Sciences...... 6 ’s team in Number 10 ...... 7

Ministerial and policy maker positions in the new Government relevant to the life sciences sector*

*Please note that this guide only covers ministers and responsibilities pertinent to the life sciences and will be updated as further roles and responsibilities are announced.

Department Position Holder Relevant responsibility Holder in previous government Number 10 Prime Minister Theresa May MP Overall-government policy Theresa May MP Director of Policy and Head James Marshall Adviser to the Prime Minister on John Godfrey of No10 Policy Unit overall Government policy (has now left government) Special Adviser to the Prime Dr James Health policy Dr James Kent Minister: Health and Social Care Special Adviser to the Prime Giles Wilkes Industrial Strategy Neil O’Brien Minister: Industrial Strategy (now an MP) Chief of Staff Senior aide to the Prime Minister Fiona Hill and (both resigned following the general election) Chair of the PM’s Policy This role no longer exists Conservative Party MPs’ input into George Freeman MP Board (not a Government central Government policy (resigned Nov 2017) role) This role no longer exists Advising the Prime Minister on MP developing and implementing (sacked Dec 2017) Government policy

BIA member briefing Page 2

HM Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer MP Overall economic policy Phillip Hammond MP PPS to Philip Hammond MP TBC Point of contact for MPs on behalf of MP Phillip Hammond MP (now Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the ) Chief Secretary to the Elizabeth Truss MP Public expenditure including capital MP Treasury investment; tax credits (now and Secretary of State for Justice) Financial Secretary MP Strategic oversight of the UK tax MP system including direct, indirect, (did not get re-elected) business, property and personal taxation; corporate and small business taxation; European and international tax issues Exchequer Secretary to the MP UK growth and productivity, Andrew Jones MP (now Treasury including Industrial Strategy, Parliamentary Under Northern Power House and Secretary of State at the Midlands Engine, promoting UK as a Department for destination for foreign direct Transport) investment (non-financial services) and the Patient Capital Review Economic Secretary to the MP Financial conduct, including MP (now Treasury and relationship with the FCA; EU exit Secretary of State for financial services; Bank lending and Exiting the European access to finance Union)

BIA member briefing Page 3

Business, Energy and Secretary of State for MP Overall business policy Greg Clark MP Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

PPS to Greg Clark MP MP Point of contact for MPs on behalf of MP (now Greg Clark MP Assistant Government Whip) for MP Science, research and innovation; MP (resigned Universities and Science industrial strategy; intellectual in Nov 2018 as Minister of (joint with DfE) property State at the and Minister for ) Parliamentary Under Rt Hon Lord Henley Life sciences, industrial strategy, EU Lord Prior Secretary of State single market, Lords lead on all BEIS (resigned in Oct 2017) issues Department of Health and Secretary of State for MP Overall health policy MP (now Social Care Health and Social Care Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) PPS to Matt Hancock MP MP Point of contact for MPs on behalf of MP (now Matt Hancock MP PPS to Jeremy Hunt MP) Parliamentary Under- Lord O’Shaughnessy Life sciences industry, leaving the Lord O’Shaughnessy Secretary of State for EU, R&D, medicines and industry, (R&D was previously with Health uptake, academic health science Nicola Blackwood, who centres did not get re-elected)

BIA member briefing Page 4

Department for Exiting Secretary of State for Stephen Barclay MP Policy to support Brexit MP the European Union Exiting the European Union negotiations and co-ordinating (resigned Nov 2018) across Government PPS to Stephen Barclay MP MP Point of contact for MPs on behalf of MP (now Stephen Barclay MP Assistant Whip)

Parliamentary Under Chris Heaton-Harris MP Policy Coordination and delivery MP (resigned Secretary of State across Whitehall (domestic July 2018) preparations for exit), contingency planning Parliamentary Under Robin Walker MP Future relationship with EU Robin Walker MP Secretary of State Institutions, market access, trade Department for Secretary of State for MP Developing, co-ordinating and Liam Fox MP International Trade International Trade delivering a new trade and investment policy to promote UK business across the globe PPS to Liam Fox MP Mike Wood MP Point of contact for MPs on behalf of MP (now Liam Fox MP PPS to MP) Minister of State for Trade MP Responsibility for the Trade Policy MP Policy Group and the development of new (resigned June 2018) trade policy Minister of State for Trade Baroness Rona Fairhead Lead on promotion of UK goods and Lord Price and Export Promotion services abroad, including life (resigned in Sep 2017) science and healthcare Secretary of State for MP Overall education policy MP Education (resigned Jan 2018)

BIA member briefing Page 5

Minister of State for Sam Gyimah MP Higher education Jo Johnson MP (resigned Universities and Science in Nov 2018 as Minister of (joint with BEIS) State at the Department for Transport and ) Minister of State MP Apprenticeships, technical MP education and skills (has now left government)

Ministerial brief for the Life Sciences

The responsibilities for the life sciences continues to be split between Health and Business Ministers. Nicola Blackwood, previously Health Minister responsible for life sciences innovation, R&D, genomics and data alongside public health and health protection, did not get re-elected in the 2017 General Election. Her remit for these areas has been transferred to Lord O’Shaughnessy.

Lord O’Shaughnessy, Lord in Waiting (Government Whip) and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health

Lord O’Shaughnessy was made a life peer in 2015. Between 2010 and 2011 he worked in No.10 as Director of Policy to Prime Minister , where he was responsible for co-authoring the Coalition's Programme for Government and overseeing the implementation of the Government's domestic policy programme. He was Director of the Conservative Research Department from 2007 to 2010 and authored the Conservative Party's general election manifesto.

In 2013, he founded Floreat Education, a multi-academy trust of three primary schools in Wandsworth, Wokingham and Brentford that provides an ‘academics and character’ educational philosophy. He held a number of other education and advisory positions.

The BIA has met with Lord O’Shaughnessy both privately and as part of the Ministerial Industry Strategy Group (MISG). He has also been involved in the EU-UK Transition Programme work.

BIA member briefing Page 6

Lord Henley – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

A barrister by training, Lord Henley entered the as a hereditary peer upon the death of his father, Baron Henley, in 1977. Before the General Election 2017, he served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

Lord Henley has also served a Minister at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Social Security, the Department for Employment and the Ministry of Defence. In opposition, he has served as Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker and was Opposition spokesperson for Legal Affairs and Justice.

During a debate in 2011, he argued that animal experimentation is "absolutely vital" in developing improvements in healthcare but acknowledged the moral obligation associated with such research. He supported the Medical Innovation Bill 2014-2015, which was designed "to codify existing best practice in relation to decisions by medical practitioners to depart from standard practice and to administer innovative treatment." Lord Henley argued it would both protect patients and nurture innovation.

Lord Henley was educated at Clifton College, Bristol and Durham University. He was called to the Bar in 1977.

Theresa May’s team in Number 10

Gavin Barwell – Chief of Staff

Barwell is replacing Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy as the PM’s Chief of Staff. Barwell served as Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Minister for London at the Department for Communities and Local Government from July 2016 until the General Election, where he did not get re-elected. He served as an MP for Central between 2010-15 and 2015-17.

Before becoming an MP, Barwell worked for the Conservative Party, serving as its Chief Operating Officer between 2003-06. He has also run a consultancy business and served as a Croydon councillor. Barwell read Natural Sciences at Cambridge and became interested in politics through his experiences with the NHS whilst being treated for leukaemia as a child.

BIA member briefing Page 7

Giles Wilkes – Special Adviser to the Prime Minister (Industrial Strategy)

Giles Wilkes was appointed as an adviser on industrial strategy to Theresa May in December 2016.

Wilkes was previously a writer for the and prior to that spent four years as Special Adviser to Sir when he was the Business Secretary. During this time, Sir Vince spoke regularly about corporate reform and the need for an industrial strategy. According to , Under Sir Vince, Mr Wilkes was instrumental in drawing up the corporate governance reforms which saw shareholders in public companies given binding votes every three years on their remuneration policies.

Dr James Kent – Special Adviser to the Prime Minister (Health)

James Kent was appointed as Theresa May’s health adviser in January 2017. He came from The Boston Consulting Group's Health Care practice, where he specialised in payers, providers, and health care systems. He led the firm’s provider work across Europe.

Kent joined BCG’s London office in 1997 and spent a number of years in the Boston office as well. Before joining BCG, Kent was a practicing physician in the NHS. He also worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and Accenture.

For additional information please contact Eric Johnsson, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive, at [email protected] or 0207 630 2197.

BIA member briefing Page 8