Chris McDonald replaces Vallance as UK science minister
Chris McDonald was previously Minister for Industry.
Chris McDonald has been named the next UK Minister for Science, following the resignation of Patrick Vallance last week, at the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST).
McDonald, a chemical engineer by training and a former executive in the UK steel industry, working on the R&D side, and chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) in Middlesbrough, has been MP for Stockton North since the 2024 general election.
He was previously Minister for Industry and parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Business and Trade, which had its remit broadened under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to include the functions of the scrapped Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Jonathan Reynolds was appointed as Secretary of State for the expanded department last week.
Burnham sees benefits in bringing business together with science and technology as a way to develop a more coordinated national industrial strategy in the UK, although some have criticised the move, suggesting it could dilute government attention across the areas covered by the new 'super-department'.
McDonald's appointment has been well received by industry and other stakeholders in the US science sector, helping to calm anxiety around the departure of Vallance, who served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the government from 2018 to 2023 and was highly regarded as a champion of the UK's science base.
Chris Molloy, chief executive of the BioIndustry Association (BIA), said that McDonald "is attuned to our innovative life sciences and biotech industry’s needs" and "knows the regional impact our sector has across the country."
He added: "Joint ministerial roles spanning health and business are vital for maintaining alignment across the UK life sciences ecosystem, and crucially ensuring the NHS is an active partner in innovation and economic growth to benefit patients and citizens across the UK."
Dr Mark Effingham, deputy CEO of UK Biobank, said that McDonald brings two decades of scientific industry experience to the role and a first-hand understanding of the UK science and technology sector’s vital role in driving regional and national economic growth.
"As the world’s most comprehensive health research dataset, we look forward to working with him to strengthen the UK’s global reputation for science and research," continued Effingham.
"Continued investment in science, alongside stronger collaboration between academia, industry and the NHS, will be essential to unlocking innovation, driving economic growth and maintaining the UK’s position as a global science superpower."
