Story perspectives

UK PM Burnham Abolishes Science Dept, Appoints First AI Minister

7/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham abolished the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 21 July 2026, forming a Business, Innovation, Science and Trade department.
Burnham named Kanishka Narayan as the first cabinet-level Minister for Artificial Intelligence.
Liz Kendall and former chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance resigned.
TechUK and the Startup Coalition warned the €500 million AI Fund could stall, while Lords peers called the change a waste of time.

History

Historical Context

Established in 2004 within the Department of Trade and Industry, the Technology Strategy Board became an independent body in July 2007 after the DTI split into DIUS and BERR. It rebranded as Innovate UK in 2014 and joined UK Research and Innovation in 2018, later supporting nine Catapult centres (2011-2018). These restructurings show a pattern that now shapes debate over the €500 million AI Fund.

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Story summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham abolished the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 21 July 2026, forming a Business, Innovation, Science and Trade department.
Burnham named Kanishka Narayan as the first cabinet-level Minister for Artificial Intelligence.
Liz Kendall and former chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance resigned.
TechUK and the Startup Coalition warned the €500 million AI Fund could stall, while Lords peers called the change a waste of time.

1 / 2