Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities

The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP

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
More about this role

Department for International Trade and UK Export Finance

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.

More about this role

Government Equalities Office and Department for International Trade

Previous roles in government

  1. Chief Secretary to the Treasury

    • 2017 to 2019

  2. Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

    • 2016 to 2017

  3. Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • 2014 to 2016

  4. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare

    • 2012 to 2014

Announcements

  1. International Trade Secretary meets Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs
    • Press release
  2. UK advances preparations for new UK-Japan Economic Partnership
    • Press release
  3. UK & Australia commit to rapid and ambitious free trade agreement
    • Press release
  4. UK launches Maritime Trade and Investment Plan to turbocharge multibillion-pound maritime sector
    • News story
  5. Campaign launch targets increased UK-China partnership
    • Press release
  6. £20 million export win for Liverpool supercar manufacturer
    • News story
  7. UK International Trade Secretary visits New Zealand, Australia and Japan
    • Press release
  8. Prime Minister pledges to bring shipbuilding back to the UK
    • Press release
  9. New Security Export Strategy will boost British exports
    • Press release
  10. UK agreed trade continuity with six African nations
    • Press release
View all announcements