Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Responsibilities
The Secretary of State is responsible for the overall work of the Department, including on:
- Engagement with the NI Executive and NI political parties;
- Supporting the political stability and fiscal sustainability of the NI Executive;
- NI trade and economic growth;
- Addressing the legacy of the Troubles;
- Implementation of the Windsor Framework, working jointly with Cabinet Office; and
- National security.
He also has overall responsibility for the NIO’s parliamentary activity in the House of Commons.
Current role holder
The Rt Hon Sir Chris Bryant MP
Sir Chris Bryant was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 20 July 2026.
He was previously Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade between 6 September 2025 and 20 July 2026, and Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport between 8 July 2024 and 6 September 2025.
He was elected as the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore (previously Rhondda) on 7 June 2001.
He studied English at Mansfield College, Oxford, and theology at (ISEDET) in Buenos Aires and at Ripon College, Cuddeson, Oxford.
Parliamentary career
Sir Chris Bryant was Chair of the House of Commons Committees of Standards and Privileges from 2020 to 2023 and a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2017 to 2023.
He was Shadow Culture Secretary in 2015 and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016.
He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe and Asia from 2009 to 2010.
He was Deputy Leader of the House of Commons from 2008 to 2009.
He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in 2008.
Early career
Sir Chris Bryant was an ordained priest and served as a curate at the Church of All Saints, High Wycombe from 1986 to 1989, and Youth Chaplain to the Diocese of Peterborough from 1989 to 1991, when he left the ministry and started work as the election agent to the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party.
He was elected to Hackney Borough Council in 1993, representing Leabridge ward, and served until 1998.
From 1998 until his election to Parliament in 2001, Bryant was the Head of European Affairs for the BBC.
He has published several books on British political and parliamentary history.
Previous holders of this role
The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
2024 to 2026
The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris
2022 to 2024
Shailesh Vara
2022 to 2022
The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE
2020 to 2022
The Rt Hon Julian Smith MP
2019 to 2020
The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP
2018 to 2019
The Rt Hon James Brokenshire
2016 to 2018
The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers
2012 to 2016
The Rt Hon Owen Paterson
2010 to 2012