Secretary of State for International Development

The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP

The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP

Contents

Biography

Priti Patel was appointed Secretary of State for International Development on 14 July 2016. She was elected Conservative MP for Witham in May 2010.

Education

Priti attended a comprehensive school in Watford before studying economics at Keele University. She completed her postgraduate studies at the University of Essex.

Political career

Priti served as Minister of State for Employment from May 2015 until July 2016. She was Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from July 2014 to May 2015.

Career outside politics

In November 2013, the Prime Minister appointed Priti as the first ever UK Indian Diaspora Champion. Before becoming an MP, she worked in consultancy and worked internationally.

Personal life

Priti is married and has a young son.

Secretary of State for International Development

The Secretary of State leads the DFID ministerial team, sets the overall strategy and direction of the department.

  • National Security Council
  • Strategy
  • G7 and G20
  • World Bank, IMF and other IFIs (including Regional Development Banks)
  • Overall delivery and management of 0.7%
  • Communications
  • Reform: United Nations and multilateral
  • Economic Development (including CDC, Trade Policy and private sector)
  • Modern day slavery and child exploitation
  • Women and girls
More about this role

Department for International Development

Previous roles in government

  1. Minister of State for Employment

    • 2015 to 2016

  2. Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury

    • 2014 to 2015

Announcements

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  1. Priti Patel statement on the liberation of Mosul

    • News story

  2. UK sends emergency aid to people in Mosul

    • Press release

  3. Family Planning Summit 2017

    • News story

  4. Priti Patel: Family Planning Summit speech

    • Speech

  5. UK to save a woman’s life every 90 minutes by increasing family planning support

    • Press release

  6. Open markets and free trade will help Africa help itself

    • Speech

  7. UK co-hosts international Family Planning Summit

    • News story

  8. Priti Patel: Speech at ‘What the world needs from Global Britain’ event

    • Speech

  9. Government pledges to help improve access to UK markets for world’s poorest countries post-Brexit

    • Press release

  10. UK tackles deadly migration crisis in Central Mediterranean

    • News story
View all announcements