Andy Burnham scraps DSIT in major shake-up at Farnborough Air Show

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham used the Farnborough Air Show to announce the abolition of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), just days after taking office on Monday. The move, revealed yesterday, dismantles the department that had housed the UK Space Agency (UKSA) following a shakeup last year. DSIT will be replaced by three new entities: the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; and the Cabinet Office. Two appointments made by Burnham on Monday are seen as signals of the country's future direction on tech and defence. On its face, the reorganisation suggests the UK is serious about a commercial future for its deep-tech industry, adding a business-focused angle to UKSA and other national science initiatives. The timing of the announcement, amid the UK promoting its aerospace achievements at the world's largest air show, underscores the shift in priorities under Burnham's leadership.