Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP

Biography

Steve Barclay was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 15 September 2021.

He was previously Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 13 February 2020 to 15 September 2021 and 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.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster administers the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster, and is a member of the Cabinet. After the Prime Minister, he is the most senior minister in the Cabinet Office.

Responsibilities include:

  • oversight of all Cabinet Office policy and appointments
  • oversight of the delivery of cross-cutting domestic and economic priorities
  • leading cross-government and public sector reform and efficiency, including digital and data reform
  • oversight of cross-government delivery of the policy and operational response to COVID-19
  • oversight of Cabinet Office responsibilities on National Security and resilience, including the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and Cyber Security
  • oversight of Cabinet Office work on science, technology, and innovation
  • oversight of cross-government work on veterans issues
  • oversight of constitutional advice

More about this role

Cabinet Office

Previous roles in government