George Freeman MP
Biography
George Freeman was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 17 September 2021.
George was a Minister of State at the Department for Transport from 26 July 2019 to 13 February 2020. He previously served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Life Sciences at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health from July 2014 until July 2016. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Climate Change from 2010 to 2011.
He was appointed government adviser on Life Sciences in July 2011, co-ordinating the government’s Life Science and Innovation, Health and Wealth Strategies (2011), and the Agri-Tech Industrial Strategy (2013). He was appointed the Prime Minister’s UK Trade Envoy in 2013.
Political career
He was elected Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk in 2010.
George served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Climate Change from 2010 to 2011. He was appointed government adviser on Life Sciences in July 2011, working closely with the Department of Health and coordinating the Government’s Life Science and Innovation, Health and Wealth Strategies (2011), and the Agri-Tech Industrial Strategy (2013). He was then appointed to the post of Prime Minister’s UK Trade Envoy in 2013.
Career outside politics
Before being elected to Parliament, George had a 15 year career across the life sciences sector. In particular, he worked with hospitals, clinical researchers, patient groups, biomedical research companies - to pioneer novel healthcare innovations.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Science, Research and Innovation)
Responsibilities include:
- science and research (domestic and international)
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) sponsorship
- Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)
- fusion
- artificial intelligence (Office for AI), joint with DCMS
- innovation
- intellectual property
- space
- technology (strategy and security)
- life sciences (including vaccine production)
Previous roles in government
Announcements
Subscriptions
- UK company reveals micro-launcher rocket
- Tech transfer leader Dr Alison Campbell OBE appointed as CEO of government’s new technology transfer unit
- Government to provide shot in the arm for West Midlands vaccine manufacturing facility
- Research and innovation sanctions on Russia and support for Ukraine
- UK boosts support for Ukrainian research community
- Financial safety net for Horizon Europe applicants extended
- Horizon Europe guarantee: open letters to the UK research and development sector
- Government backs innovative businesses with new £150 million loan scheme
- Government launches consultation on national Cyber-Physical Infrastructure
- £260 million to boost healthcare research and manufacturing