Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was a UK government department created on 28 June 2007 to take over some of the functions of the Department of Education and Skills and of the Department of Trade and Industry. Its head office was based at Kingsgate House, 66-74 Victoria Street, London SW1, which has now been demolished. In June 2009 it was merged into the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It was responsible for adult learning, some parts of further education, higher education, skills, science and innovation, but only some of the department's functions were UK-wide. It oversaw the science budget, provided through the Research Councils, for the UK as a whole. On the other hand, education is a devolved matter and there were corresponding departments in the Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government.
Strategic objectives
The Department's strategic objectives were toA number of education functions of the former DfES were taken over by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Sponsored bodies
DIUS had responsibility for a number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies. These included the Research Councils:- Medical Research Council
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- The Economic and Social Research Council
- The Arts and Humanities Research Council
- The Science and Technology Facilities Council
- The Natural Environment Research Council
- Higher Education Funding Council for England
- Student Loans Company
- The Technology Strategy Board
- The Design Council
Minister and Permanent Secretary
The only Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills was John Denham MP. In a foreword to the department's White Paper, Innovation Nation, published in March 2008, Denham outlined the importance of innovation as a national commitment:The first Permanent Secretary, Ian Watmore, moved to a new appointment, leading to the appointment of Sir Jon Shortridge who was in post a matter of nine days before the department was dissolved.