Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms
Responsibilities
The Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms (shared with Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) is responsible:
- Digital infrastructure and telecoms
- Building Digital UK (BDUK)
- Data protection (including Data Bill)
- Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
- Digital inclusion
- Space sector growth and UK Space Agency (UKSA)
Current role holder
Sir Chris Bryant MP
Sir Chris Bryant was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 8 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore (previously Rhondda) on 7 June 2001.
He studied English at Mansfield College, Oxford, and theology at (ISEDET) in Buenos Aires and at Ripon College, Cuddeson, Oxford.
Parliamentary career
Sir Chris Bryant was Chair of the House of Commons Committees of Standards and Privileges from 2020 to 2023 and a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2017 to 2023.
He was Shadow Culture Secretary in 2015 and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016.
He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe and Asia from 2009 to 2010.
He was Deputy Leader of the House of Commons from 2008 to 2009.
He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in 2008.
Early career
Sir Chris Bryant was an ordained priest and served as a curate at the Church of All Saints, High Wycombe from 1986 to 1989, and Youth Chaplain to the Diocese of Peterborough from 1989 to 1991, when he left the ministry and started work as the election agent to the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party.
He was elected to Hackney Borough Council in 1993, representing Leabridge ward, and served until 1998.
From 1998 until his election to Parliament in 2001, Bryant was the Head of European Affairs for the BBC.
He has published several books on British political and parliamentary history.