The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (EST) is a ministerial position in HM Treasury responsible for the UK government’s financial services, economic sanctions, financial crime, and debt and reserves management policy. Furthermore, the EST is responsible for the Treasury’s interests in British Overseas Territories (BOTs) and Crown Dependencies. Since 2014, the position has typically been held concurrently with City Minister. The position is shadowed by the Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

History The office was created in November 1947. In 1961, the economic secretary became junior to the new office of Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which held a seat in cabinet.

Following the establishment of the Department of Economic Affairs in 1964, the economic secretary, Anthony Crosland, transferred to become Minister of State in that department. The post of Economic Secretary to the Treasury was abolished on 22 December 1964. Although the Department of Economic Affairs closed in 1969, the Treasury post was not re-established until 11 November 1981.

From April 2014 to September 2022, and since October 2022, the office of Economic Secretary to the Treasury has been held concurrently with the portfolio of 'City Minister'.

Economic secretaries to the Treasury, 1947–present

Colour key (for political parties):

Economic Secretary Term of office Political party Prime Minister Chancellor Douglas Jay 13 November 1947 2 March 1950 Labour Attlee Cripps John Edwards 19 October 1950 26 October 1951 Labour Gaitskell Office not in use 26 October 1951 24 November 1952 Churchill Butler Reginald Maudling 24 November 1952 7 April 1955 Conservative Sir Edward Boyle 7 April 1955 11 November 1956 Conservative Eden Macmillan Derek Walker-Smith 11 November 1956 16 January 1957 Conservative Nigel Birch 16 January 1957 6 January 1958 Conservative Macmillan Thorneycroft Office not in use 6 January 1958 23 October 1958 H-Amory Frederick Erroll 23 October 1958 22 October 1959 Conservative Anthony Barber 22 October 1959 16 July 1962 Conservative Lloyd Edward du Cann 16 July 1962 21 October 1963 Conservative Maudling Maurice Macmillan 21 October 1963 16 October 1964 Conservative D-Home Anthony Crosland 19 October 1964 22 December 1964 Labour Wilson Callaghan Office not in use 22 December 1964 11 November 1981 Jenkins Heath Macleod Barber Wilson Healey Callaghan Thatcher Howe Jock Bruce-Gardyne 11 November 1981 13 June 1983 Conservative John Moore 13 June 1983 19 October 1983 Conservative Lawson Ian Stewart 19 October 1983 11 June 1987 Conservative Peter Lilley 11 June 1987 24 July 1989 Conservative Richard Ryder 24 July 1989 14 July 1990 Conservative Major John Maples 23 July 1990 14 April 1992 Conservative Major Lamont Anthony Nelson 14 April 1992 6 July 1995 Conservative Clarke Angela Knight 6 July 1995 2 May 1997 Conservative Helen Liddell 3 May 1997 27 July 1998 Labour Blair Brown Patricia Hewitt 27 July 1998 17 May 1999 Labour Melanie Johnson 17 May 1999 8 June 2001 Labour Ruth Kelly 8 June 2001 15 May 2002 Labour Office not in use 15 May 2002 30 May 2002 John Healey 30 May 2002 6 May 2005 Labour Ivan Lewis May 2005 May 2006 Labour Ed Balls 6 May 2006 28 June 2007 Labour Kitty Ussher 29 June 2007 5 October 2008 Labour Brown Darling Ian Pearson 5 October 2008 11 May 2010 Labour Justine Greening 13 May 2010 14 October 2011 Conservative Cameron Osborne Chloe Smith 14 October 2011 4 September 2012 Conservative Sajid Javid 4 September 2012 7 October 2013 Conservative Nicky Morgan 7 October 2013 9 April 2014 Conservative Andrea Leadsom 9 April 2014 11 May 2015 Conservative Harriett Baldwin 11 May 2015 16 July 2016 Conservative Cameron Simon Kirby 17 July 2016 9 June 2017 Conservative May Hammond Steve Barclay 14 June 2017 9 January 2018 Conservative May John Glen 9 January 2018 6 July 2022 Conservative Johnson Javid Sunak Richard Fuller 8 July 2022 27 October 2022 Conservative Zahawi Truss Kwarteng Hunt Andrew Griffith 27 October 2022 13 November 2023 Conservative Sunak Bim Afolami 13 November 20235 July 2024 Conservative Tulip Siddiq9 July 202414 January 2025LabourStarmerReeves Emma Reynolds14 January 20255 September 2025Labour Lucy Rigby6 September 202514 May 2026Labour Rachel Blake14 May 202620 July 2026Labour Lucy Rigby21 July 2026IncumbentLabourBurnhamHealey

See also Secretary to the Treasury

References