The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was a United Kingdom Cabinet position created in 1997, with responsibility for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). The position and department were created for

John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (31 May 1938 – 20 November 2024) was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the ...

by merging the positions and responsibilities of the

Secretary of State for Environment The secretary of state for the environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment (DoE). Today, its responsibilities are carried out by the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs and the ...

, the

Secretary of State for Transport The secretary of state for transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Departm ...

and some other functions.

Frank Dobson Frank Gordon Dobson (15 March 1940 – 11 November 2019) was a British Labour Party politician. As Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St. Pancras from 1979 to 2015, he served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Health from 1997 ...

, who had been

Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment A shadow is a dark area on a surface where light from a light source is blocked by an object. In contrast, shade occupies the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimensio ...

prior to the 1997 general election, was made

Secretary of State for Health The secretary of state for health and social care, also referred to as the health secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care. The in ...

, while Andrew Smith, who had been

Shadow Secretary of State for Transport The shadow secretary of state for transport is a political post in the United Kingdom. It has been consistently held by a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom), Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet since May 1979. The sha ...

, was made a junior minister at the

Department for Education and Employment The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007, responsible for the Education in England, education system (including higher education and adult learning) as well as children's se ...

Michael Meacher Michael Hugh Meacher (4 November 1939 – 20 October 2015) was a British politician who served as a government minister under Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Tony Blair. A member of the Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for O ...

, who had been Shadow Minister for Environmental Protection within the Shadow Cabinet, was given the non-cabinet position of Minister of State for the Environment, and attended cabinet meetings where the Environment was discussed, and a position of Minister of State for Transport was similarly created, initially held by

Gavin Strang Gavin Steel Strang (born 10 July 1943) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh East from 1970 until 2010 (including two terms for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh). He served as a minister in th ...

. In June 2001, the department was renamed the

Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions The secretary of state for transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent is ...

(DTLR), with the Environment portfolio being merged with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food into the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. All departments were given their own Secretaries of State. In May 2002, the Local Government and the Regions portfolios were separated from Transport and given to the

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister An office is a space where the employees of an organization perform administrative work in order to support and realize the various goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific dut ...

, which in turn became the

Department for Communities and Local Government The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for housing, communities, and local government in England. It was established in May 200 ...

in May 2006.

Transport

From 1997 to 2001, the Ministers of State with responsibility for Transport were: *

(3 May 1997 – 27 July 1998) * John Reid (27 July 1998 – 17 May 1999) * Helen Liddell (17 May 1999 – 29 July 1999) * Lord Macdonald of Tradeston (29 July 1999 – 8 June 2001) John Reid attended cabinet meetings, but was not formally a member of the cabinet, whereas Gavin Strang was given a seat in the cabinet when he held the position.

Environment

Ministers of State with responsibility for the Environment included: *

(1997–2001) *

Richard Caborn Richard George Caborn (born 6 October 1943) is a British politician who served as Minister of Sport from 2001 to 2007 and later as the prime minister's ambassador for England's 2018 FIFA World Cup bid. He previously served as a junior ministe ...

(1997–1999) *

Nick Raynsford Wyvill Richard Nicolls Raynsford (born 28 January 1945), known as Nick Raynsford, is a British politician who served as a government minister from 1997 to 2005. A member of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (United ...

(1999–2001)

Local government

Hilary Armstrong Hilary Jane Armstrong, Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, (born 30 November 1945), is a British Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Durham from 1987 to 2010. Early life Armstrong was born on 30 November 1 ...

was Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government (1997–2001).

References

Environment, Transport and the Regions Waste organizations Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom 1997 establishments in the United Kingdom 2001 disestablishments in the United Kingdom {{waste-stub pl:Ministrowie środowiska Wielkiej Brytanii