Department for Education and Skills

Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is a department in the United Kingdom government created in 2001.

The Department of Education and Science was created in 1964 with the merger of the offices of Minister of Education and the Minister of Science. In 1992 the responsibility for science was transferred to Cabinet Office's Office of Public Service, and the department was renamed Department of Education. In 1995 the department merged with the Department of Employment to become the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) and in 2001 the employment functions were transferred to a newly created Department for Work and Pensions, with the DfEE becoming the Department for Education and Skills.

Ministers in the Department for Education and Skills as of 21 August 2003.

• Secretary of State for Education and Skills - the Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP
  • Minister of State (Children and Young People) - the Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE MP
  • Minister of State (School Standards) - David Miliband MP
  • Minister of State (Lifelong Learning and Higher Education) - Alan Johnson MP
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Sure Start) - Baroness Ashton of Upholland
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (For Skills and Vocational Education) - Ivan Lewis MP
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Schools) - Stephen Twigg MP