As UK politics begins to quieten down during summer recess, it is worth looking into some of the ministerial appointments made by the Prime Minister in more detail.
While much noise has been made about the more high-profile appointments, it is important to analyse more junior appointments and what they could mean for the direction of the Burnham Government (for a more macro look at Burnham’s appointments, see our recent briefing here).
Background
Most ministers do not yet have their portfolios confirmed. This is not the case for Chris McDonald, who has been confirmed as Minister of State for Science, a role that will sit across the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
McDonald has a strong industry background, beginning his career at British Steel, which sponsored him to study chemical engineering at the University of Cambridge.
Before being selected as a Labour candidate in 2023, McDonald was the CEO of the Materials Processing Institute.
After being elected in the 2024 general election, he entered government in September 2025 as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry, remaining in the position until Burnham became PM.
The challenge
The abolition of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is controversial.
The Institute for Government, for example, warned that the move “risks losing focus, expertise, and coordination”.
Before the abolition, the science minister sat within DSIT and, from September 2025, also in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
McDonald, therefore, will have a responsibility to assure the science sector that the work of DSIT can adequately continue across different departments.
This point has been underscored by Beth Thompson, Executive Director for Policy & Partnerships at Wellcome, who emphasised that “science cannot be relegated to only serving the needs of business”.
The opportunity
Where there is risk, there is also opportunity.
By sitting across BIST and DHSC, science policy can now more directly influence two of the most important aims of any Government: growing the economy and boosting the health of the nation.
While there are fair concerns about the abolition of DSIT, there is a new opportunity in the breaking down of silos that may have previously existed, similar to the opportunity presented by AI minister Kanishka Narayan jointly serving in BIST and the Cabinet Office.
This is a position accepted by Thompson, who said that McDonald’s joint role could ensure that “cutting-edge science can drive the NHS to deliver the best outcomes for patients.”
The joint role has also been strongly welcomed by the Academy of Medical Sciences, with its President saying that “science and innovation should be central to the national conversation” around growth, productivity, and opportunity.
Conclusion
McDonald, therefore, comes into his new cross-departmental role with ministerial experience and a very strong industry background.
He will have to demonstrate that the abolition of DSIT was not a mistake that could hamper science and innovation in the UK, while having the chance to show the benefits that science policy can have on both the UK economy and the health of the nation.
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