Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work

The Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work is a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for disabled people.[1] The role has also been known as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People, Health and Work.

United Kingdom
Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Royal Arms as used by His Majesty's Government
Incumbent
Mims Davies
since 14 December 2023
Department for Work and Pensions
AppointerThe Monarch
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Inaugural holderAlf Morris
Formation1974
WebsiteOfficial website

The position was made vacant following Tom Pursglove's move to Minister of State for Legal Migration and Delivery.[2] On 14 December 2023, it was confirmed that the dedicated ministerial role would be scrapped, and the responsibilities would be handed to an existing minister.[3] Mims Davies took up the portfolio, alongside her role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression.[4]

Current Portfolio

The minister's responsibilities includes the following:[1]

  • Cross-government disability issues
  • Work and health strategy, including sponsorship of the Joint Work and Health Unit
  • Disability employment, including Disability Confident, Work Choice, Access to Work, the Work and Health Programme and mental health in the workplace
  • Support for those at risk of falling out of work, including occupational health and Statutory Sick Pay
  • Financial support for sick and disabled claimants, including within:
  • Universal Credit
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  • Carer's Allowance
  • Specific welfare and health-related issues, including Motability and arms-length compensation schemes
  • Oversight of the Health and Safety Executive and the Office for Nuclear Regulation

List of ministers

  • 11 March 1974 – 1979: Alf Morris, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Disablement) at the Department of Health and Social Security[5]
  • 7 May 1979 – 1981: Reg Prentice, Minister of State (Social Security), DHSS[6]
  • 5 January 1981 – 1983: Hugh Rossi, Minister of State for Social Security and the Disabled (DHSS)[7]
  • 13 June 1983 – 1984: Tony Newton, Minister for the Disabled (Parliamentary Under-Secretary), DHSS[8]
  • 11 September 1984 – 1986: Tony Newton, Minister of State for Social Security and the Disabled (DHSS)[8]
  • 1986 – 1987 general election: John Major, Minister of State for Social Security[9] and the Disabled (DHSS)[10][11][12]
  • 1987[10]–1994: Nicholas Scott, as Minister of State, Department of Social Security[13]
  • 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995: William Hague, Minister of State, DSS (with responsibility for Social Security and Disabled People)[14]
  • 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997: Alistair Burt, Minister for Disabled People (Minister of State, DSS)[15]
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health) — 6 May 1997 – 28 October 1998
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education and Employment) (Employment and Equal Opportunities) — 28 July 1998 – 10 June 2001
NamePortraitTerm of officePartyMinistry
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People
Paul Boateng[16] 4 May 199727 October 1998LabourBlair
(I) (II) (III)
Margaret Hodge[17] 29 July 199811 June 2001Labour
Maria Eagle[18] 11 June 200117 June 2005Labour
Anne McGuire[19] 17 June 20055 October 2008Labour
Brown
Jonathan Shaw[20] 5 October 200811 May 2010Labour
Maria Miller[21] 12 May 20104 September 2012ConservativeCameron-Clegg
Esther McVey[22] 4 September 20127 October 2013Conservative
Minister of State for Disabled People
Mike Penning[23] 7 October 201315 July 2014ConservativeCameron-Clegg
Mark Harper[24] 15 July 20148 May 2015Conservative
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People
Justin Tomlinson[25] 8 May 201515 July 2016ConservativeCameron
(II)
Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health
Penny Mordaunt[26] 15 July 20169 November 2017ConservativeMay
(I) (II)
Sarah Newton[27] 9 November 201713 March 2019Conservative
Justin Tomlinson 4 April 201916 September 2021ConservativeMay
(II)
Johnson
(I) (II)
Chloe Smith 16 September 20216 September 2022Conservative
Johnson
(II)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Claire Coutinho 21 September 202228 October 2022ConservativeTruss
Sunak
Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Tom Pursglove 28 October 20227 December 2023ConservativeSunak
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Mims Davies 14 December 202312 April 2024ConservativeSunak
Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Mims Davies 12 April 2024IncumbentConservativeSunak

See also

References