Kanishka Narayan MP confirmed as new UK Minister for IP

The UK officially now has a new Minister responsible for intellectual property (IP) – Kanishka Narayan, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan (Bro Morgannwg in Welsh) has been confirmed as the new Minister with responsibility for intellectual property following his appointment as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of the UK cabinet reshuffle of 7 September 2025.

It was widely assumed at the time of the September reshuffle that he would get the IP role; but the UK Intellectual Property Office, which now falls within his remit, has now officially confirmed this in a statement in which the body’s CEO Adam Williams said:

“I am delighted to welcome Kanishka Narayan MP as the new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with responsibility for intellectual property.”

“The UK is widely recognised as having one of the world’s leading IP systems, and intellectual property plays a crucial role in unlocking the creative and innovative potential across our economy. I look forward to working with Minister Narayan to continue supporting the government’s growth mission by helping ensure brilliant ideas are protected, commercialised and supported to thrive.”

The role of IP Minister was established in 2007. In addition to covering IP and the IPO, Kanishka Narayan’s responsibilities also include AI Opportunities, the AI Security Institute, Semiconductors, Tech for Growth, and Online Safety.

Wearing his Tech for Growth hat, he recently spoke at the announcement of 14 projects supporting businesses and jobs across the UK, as part of the £1 million Regional Tech Booster programme which is a partnership between the UK Government and the UK Tech Cluster Group. The programme runs until March 2026.

The projects just announced involve investment across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England to boost tech growth, and create more jobs and opportunities for people and communities outside London. A series of investment events will also take place, with the first in Bristol and Leeds.

Minister Narayan said: “We want UK tech to grow and succeed from any and every corner of the country. It’s a no-brainer that supporting projects like these, and encouraging more investment across the UK, will catalyse our tech brilliance to boost economic growth and opportunities for communities nationwide.”

Kanishka Narayan took the Vale of Glamorgan seat in the July 2024 general election, and in doing so became Wales’s first ethnic minority MP. It seems appropriate that the IP Minister should be a Welsh MP, as the IPO, which is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is based in the Welsh city of Newport.

Inngot, incidentally, is based in another Welsh city, Swansea, and works closely with the IPO on various projects, including contributing to the agency’s IP Masterclass series. Inngot CEO Martin Brassell has authored or co-authored a number of reports for the IPO, and sits on its IP Finance Advisory Group.