Ministerial role

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Organisations: HM Treasury
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP

Responsibilities

The Chief Secretary (CST) is responsible for public expenditure, including:

  • spending reviews and strategic planning
  • in-year spending control
  • public sector pay and pensions
  • Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) and welfare reform
  • efficiency and value for money in public service
  • procurement
  • capital investment
  • infrastructure spending
  • housing and planning
  • spending issues related to trade
  • transport policy, including HS2, Crossrail 2, Roads, Network Rail, Oxford/Cambridge corridor
  • Treasury interest in devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • women in the economy
  • skills, labour market policy and childcare policy, including tax free childcare
  • tax credits policy
  • housing and planning
  • legislative strategy
  • state pensions/ pensioner benefits
  • freeports – with support from FST on customs aspects .

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP

Steve Barclay was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 February 2020.

He was previously Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from 16 November 2018 to 31 January 2020 and Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care from January to November 2018. Steve was also Economic Secretary to the Treasury from June 2017 to January 2018.

He served as a Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from July 2016 to June 2017. He was elected Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire in May 2010.

Education

Steve was educated at King Edward VII School in Lytham St. Annes Lancashire before reading history at Peterhouse, Cambridge. He later studied law at the College of Law, Chester.

Political career

From 2010 to 2014 Steve served on the Public Accounts Committee which scrutinises government spending. Steve served as Assistant Government Whip from May 2015 until July 2016.

Career outside politics

Steve qualified as a solicitor in 1998. He worked as an insurance company lawyer for Axa Insurance, as a regulator for the Financial Services Authority, and as Director of Regulatory Affairs and then Head of Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions at Barclays Retail Bank.

Personal life

Steve is married and has 2 children.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP

    2019 to 2020

  2. The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

    2017 to 2019

  3. The Rt Hon David Gauke

    2016 to 2017

  4. The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP

    2015 to 2016

  5. The Rt Hon Danny Alexander

    2010 to 2015

  6. The Rt Hon David Laws

    2010 to 2010

Announcements

  1. Embrace data to deliver for the public, Chief Secretary tells Whitehall
  2. Chief Secretary to the Treasury delivers his first speech in the role to thinktank Onward
  3. Four new prisons boost rehabilitation and support economy
  4. £105 million to keep rough sleepers safe and off the streets during coronavirus pandemic
  5. Government pledges £16 million to rescue Rugby League
  6. Emergency fund of up to £10.5 million to support lifeline transport links to the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly
  7. Financial support for England’s fishing businesses unveiled
  8. Innovative new Freeports across the UK as Government lays out plans to boost economy
  9. Increased DWP support for veterans
  10. Trade Secretary announces Freeports Advisory Panel will ensure UK is ready to trade post-Brexit