The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP
Biography
Steve Barclay was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 13 February 2020.
He was previously Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from 16 November 2018 to 31 January 2020 and Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care from January to November 2018. Steve was also Economic Secretary to the Treasury from June 2017 to January 2018.
He served as a Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from July 2016 to June 2017. He was elected Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire in May 2010.
Education
Steve was educated at King Edward VII School in Lytham St. Annes Lancashire before reading history at Peterhouse, Cambridge. He later studied law at the College of Law, Chester.
Political career
From 2010 to 2014 Steve served on the Public Accounts Committee which scrutinises government spending. Steve served as Assistant Government Whip from May 2015 until July 2016.
Career outside politics
Steve qualified as a solicitor in 1998. He worked as an insurance company lawyer for Axa Insurance, as a regulator for the Financial Services Authority, and as Director of Regulatory Affairs and then Head of Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions at Barclays Retail Bank.
Personal life
Steve is married and has 2 children.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary (CST) is responsible for public expenditure, including:
- spending reviews and strategic planning
- in-year spending control
- public sector pay and pensions
- Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) and welfare reform
- efficiency and value for money in public service
- procurement
- capital investment
- infrastructure spending
- housing and planning
- spending issues related to trade
- transport policy, including HS2, Crossrail 2, Roads, Network Rail, Oxford/Cambridge corridor
- Treasury interest in devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- women in the economy
- skills, labour market policy and childcare policy, including tax free childcare
- tax credits policy
- housing and planning
- legislative strategy
- state pensions/ pensioner benefits
- freeports – with support from FST on customs aspects .
Previous roles in government
Announcements
Subscriptions
- Four new prisons boost rehabilitation and support economy
- £105 million to keep rough sleepers safe and off the streets during coronavirus pandemic
- Government pledges £16 million to rescue Rugby League
- Emergency fund of up to £10.5 million to support lifeline transport links to the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly
- Financial support for England’s fishing businesses unveiled
- Letters to the Devolved Administrations on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill
- Secretary of State speech at breakfast event hosted by Europa Press in Madrid
- Secretary of State speech at the Ambrosetti Forum: Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy
- Secretary of State speech at the MEDEF Université d'été conference, Paris, France
- UK and Switzerland boost collaboration on security and migration