Minister of State for Competitiveness

{{short description|UK government office}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}{{Infobox Political post

| post = Minister of State for Competitiveness

| appointer = Elizabeth II

| website =

| salary =

| deputy =

| succession =

| abolished = 11 May 2010

| last = Shriti Vadera, Baroness Vadera

| formation = 12 July 2007

| inaugural = Ian McCartney

| termlength =

| appointerpost = the Sovereign, on the advice of the Prime Minister

| nominatorpost =

| body =

| nominator =

| residence =

| style = The Honourable

| incumbentsince =

| incumbent =

| alt =

| image = File:Shriti_Vadera,_Baroness_Vadera.jpg

| department = Department of Trade and Industry (1997–2007)
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (2007–2009)

| insigniacaption = Royal Arms as used by Her Majesty's Government

| insignia = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government) (St Edwards Crown).svg

| nativename =

| Image caption = Baroness Vadera

}}{{PoliticsUK}}

The Minister of State for Competitiveness was an office held by a member of the United Kingdom government and appointed by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The position was created within the Department of Trade and Industry following Tony Blair's victory in the 1997 general election and was initially held by Ian McCartney.{{Cite web|title=Ian McCartney, former MP, Makerfield|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10379/ian_mccartney/makerfield|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16}} The office was vacant between 1999 and 2001. From 2001 to 2002, it was held by Douglas Alexander and, from 2002 to 2004, by Stephen Timms; both having additional responsibility for {{nowrap|e-Commerce}}.{{Cite web|title=Douglas Alexander, former MP, Paisley and Renfrewshire South|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10661/douglas_alexander/paisley_and_renfrewshire_south|access-date=2020-06-18|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Stephen Timms MP, East Ham|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10596/stephen_timms/east_ham|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16}}

Following Gordon Brown's election as Labour leader and Prime Minister in July 2007, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was created and the position was re-established and held again by Timms until January 2008.{{cite web |title=Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/163/career |website=parliament.uk |publisher=UK Parliament |accessdate=2 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Competitiveness to Keynote at Responsible Retail Summit|url=https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/35711/rt-hon-stephen-timms-mp-minister-of-state-for-competitiveness/|website=ResponseSource Press Release Wire|access-date=2020-05-13}}{{cite news |last1=Bill |first1=Tom |title=Timms leaves his post as construction minister |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/timms-leaves-his-post-as-construction-minister/3104750.article |accessdate=2 May 2020 |publisher=Building Magazine |date=25 January 2008}} He was succeeded by Baroness Vadera, who served in the more junior role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with additional responsibilities for small business, deregulation, the British Business Council and the Cabinet Office. She left the post in June 2009, when the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was merged with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.{{Cite web|title=Baroness Vadera|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/13931/baroness_vadera|website=TheyWorkForYou|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16}}{{cite web |title=Changes to the machinery of Government |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19525 |publisher=gov.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608051333/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19525 |accessdate=2 May 2020|archive-date=8 June 2009 }}