Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was a role at the Northern Ireland Office of the Government of the United Kingdom. The role was also known as Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland. The position was created on 26 March 1972.

Responsibilities

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State leads on supporting the Secretary of State in his responsibilities, specifically:

• Supporting the Secretary of State on legacy, New Decade, New Approach and Protocol.
• Reviewing planning for future political negotiations and developing plans to help achieve greater levels of Integrated Education in Northern Ireland.
• Leading the department’s work on Constitution and Rights such as abortion and ensuring women have access to services.
• Responsible for legislation and engagement in the House of Lords.
• Aiding political stability such as reviewing plans for the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
• Building substantive relationships across sectors and communities through engagement.

List of ministers

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Name		Image	Start Date	End Date	Party
	David Howell MP for Guildford	75px	26 March 1972	5 November 1972	Conservative
	Peter Mills MP for Torrington		5 November 1972	4 March 1974
	The 2nd Baron Belstead (Hereditary Peer)		5 June 1973
	Jack Donaldson Baron Donaldson of Kingsbridge (Life Peer)		4 March 1974	5 April 1976	Labour
	Don Concannon MP for Mansfield		27 June 1974
	James Dunn MP for Liverpool Kirkdale		5 April 1976	4 May 1979
	Raymond Carter MP for Birmingham Northfield
	Tom Pendry MP for Stalybridge and Hyde	75px	11 November 1978
	Philip Goodhart MP for Beckenham		4 May 1979	5 January 1981	Conservative
	The 2nd Baron Elton (Hereditary Peer)	75px	7 May 1979	15 September 1981
	Giles Shaw MP for Pudsey			5 January 1981
	John Patten MP for Oxford		5 January 1981	13 June 1983
	David Mitchell MP for Basingstoke
	Nicholas Scott MP for Paddington South		13 June 1983	11 September 1986
	Chris Patten MP for Bath	75px	14 June 1983	2 September 1985
	The 3rd Baron Lyell (Hereditary Peer)		12 April 1984	25 July 1989
	Richard Needham MP for North Wiltshire	75px	3 September 1985	15 April 1992
	Peter Viggers MP for Gosport		June 1987	26 July 1989
	Peter Bottomley MP for Eltham	75px	4 July 1989	28 July 1990
	The 7th Baron Skelmersdale (Hereditary Peer)	75px	24 July 1989	28 November 1990
	Jeremy Hanley MP for Richmond and Barnes		3 December 1990	27 May 1993
	The 9th Earl of Arran (Hereditary Peer)	75px	22 April 1992	11 January 1994
	Michael Ancram MP for Devizes	75px	27 May 1993
	Tim Smith MP for Beaconsfield		6 January 1994	20 October 1994
	Jean Denton Baroness Denton of Wakefield (Life Peer)		20 July 1994	2 May 1997
	Malcolm Moss MP for North East Cambridgeshire		25 October 1994
	Alf Dubs Baron Dubs of Battersea (Life Peer)	75px	6 May 1997	31 December 1999	Labour
	George Howarth MP for Knowsley North and Sefton East	75px	29 July 1999	7 June 2001
	Des Browne MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun	75px	11 June 2001	13 June 2003
	Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North	75px	2 April 2004	10 May 2005
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children in Northern Ireland
	Jeff Rooker Baron Rooker of Perry Barr (Life Peer)	75px	9 May 2005	6 May 2006	Labour
	Maria Eagle MP for Liverpool Garston	75px	6 May 2006	28 June 2007
Position not in use			28 June 2007	11 May 2015	Position not in use
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
	Andrew Dunlop Baron Dunlop of Helensburgh (Life Peer)	75px	11 May 2015	10 June 2017	Conservative
	Nick Bourne Baron Bourne of Aberystwyth (Life Peer)	75px	14 June 2017	27 October 2017
	Chloe Smith MP for Norwich North	75px	14 June 2017	9 January 2018
	Ian Duncan Baron Duncan of Springbank (Life Peer)	75px	27 October 2017	13 February 2020
	Robin Walker MP for Worcester	75px	25 July 2019	13 February 2020
Position not in use			13 February 2020	5 November 2021	Position not in use
	Jonathan Caine Baron Caine of Temple Newsam (Life Peer)	75px	5 November 2021	present	Conservative