The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP
Biography
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.
Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade
Principal responsibilities:
- securing new free trade agreements, while maintaining access to existing agreements
- establishing new freeports across the UK and attracting investment from overseas
- getting British business ready to trade following the UK’s exit from the European Union and the Ready to Trade GREAT campaign
- overall responsibility for the business of the department, including the running of the department and its finances
Minister for Women and Equalities
The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for:
- policy on women
- policy on sexual orientation and transgender equality
- cross-government equality strategy and legislation
Before July 2014, this role was covered by the Minister for Women and the Minister for Equalities.
Government Equalities Office and Department for International Trade
Previous roles in government
Announcements
Subscriptions
- Second Reading of the Trade Bill 2020
- US exports lead to £1m exports boom for Levity Crop Science
- UK Global Tariff backs UK businesses and consumers
- Negotiations on the UK’s future trading relationship with the US: Update
- Liz Truss kick-starts trade negotiations with Japan
- Truss opening statement, call with the US Trade Representative
- Joint Statement of UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and USTR Robert Lighthizer
- UK and US start trade negotiations
- New webinars to boost support for SMEs during coronavirus
- UK firm pioneers technology to help communication in hospitals