Ministerial role

Minister for Women and Equalities

Organisations: Government Equalities Office and Department for International Trade
Current role holder: The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

Responsibilities

The Minister for Women and Equalities has responsibility for:

  • developing an equalities policy that it is based on individual autonomy and dignity
  • promoting equality of opportunity for everyone

Before July 2014, this role was covered by the Minister for Women and the Minister for Equalities.

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

Elizabeth Truss was appointed Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade on 24 July 2019. She was appointed Minister for Women and Equalities on 10 September 2019. She was elected as the Conservative MP for south west Norfolk in 2010.

Education

Elizabeth studied philosophy, politics and economics at Merton College, Oxford.

Political career

Elizabeth entered Parliament in 2010. She was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare in September 2012. Elizabeth served as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from July 2014 until July 2016.

Elizabeth was Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from July 2016 until June 2017. She was Chief Secretary to the Treasury from June 2017 until July 2019.

Career outside politics

Elizabeth was previously Deputy Director at Reform. She also worked in the energy and telecommunications industry for 10 years as a commercial manager and economics director, and is a qualified management accountant.

Personal life

Elizabeth is married with 2 children.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon Amber Rudd

    2019 to 2019

  2. The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP

    2018 to 2019

  3. The Rt Hon Amber Rudd

    2018 to 2018

  4. The Rt Hon Justine Greening

    2016 to 2018

  5. The Rt Hon Baroness Nicky Morgan

    2014 to 2016

Announcements

Subscriptions

  1. Recruitment starts for new EHRC Chair and board members
    • 29 June 2020
    • News story
  2. Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss sets out priorities to Women and Equalities Select Committee
    • 22 April 2020
    • Speech
  3. Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss speech at The House magazine's Women in Westminster: The 100 event
    • 10 March 2020
    • Speech
  4. Women entrepreneurs pitch innovation for Africa to UK investors
    • 18 January 2020
    • Press release
  5. First opposite-sex civil partnerships to take place on New Year's Eve
    • 31 December 2019
    • News story
  6. Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss speech at The Telegraph's Women Mean Business event
    • 05 November 2019
    • Speech
  7. Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss speaking at the FT's Women at the Top event
    • 17 October 2019
    • Speech
  8. Business leaders aiming to boost diversity and inclusion in the workplace
    • 25 September 2019
    • Press release
  9. Women pick jobs closer to family over bigger salary - as government promises to help them reach their financial potential
    • 04 September 2019
    • News story
  10. New flexi job search that’s not just for mums
    • 01 September 2019
    • Press release
View all announcements