View source for Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

{{short description|Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2008}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                = {{small|[[United Kingdom]]}}<br> Secretary of State for<br/> Northern Ireland
| nativename          = 
| insignia            = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
| insigniacaption     = [[Royal Arms]] of [[His Majesty's Government]]
| department = [[Northern Ireland Office|Office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]]
| image               = File:Hilary Benn Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (crop 1).jpg
| incumbent           = [[Hilary Benn]]
| incumbentsince      = 5 July 2024
| style               = '''Northern Ireland Secretary'''<br />{{small|(informal)}}<br />[[The Right Honourable]]<br />{{small|(within the UK and Commonwealth)}}
| type                = [[Minister of the Crown]]
| status              = [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]]
| member_of           = {{ubl|[[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]]|[[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]]}}
| reports_to          = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|The Prime Minister]]
| seat                = [[Westminster]]
| nominator           = The Prime Minister
| appointer           = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|The Monarch]]
| appointer_qualified = {{small|(on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]])}}
| termlength          = [[At His Majesty's pleasure]]
| formation           = 24 March 1972
| first               = [[William Whitelaw]]
| salary              = £159,038 per annum {{small|(2022)}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1124173/2022-12-07-Ministerial-Salaries-22-23-table.pdf |date=15 December 2022}}</ref><br />(including £86,584 [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] salary)<ref>{{cite web |title=Pay and expenses for MPs |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |website=parliament.uk}}</ref>
| residence           = [[Hillsborough Castle]]
| precursor           = [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]]<br />[[Governor of Northern Ireland]]
| deputy              = [[Minister of State for Northern Ireland]]
| website             = {{url|www.nio.gov.uk}}
}}
{{Politics of Northern Ireland}}
{{PoliticsUK}}

The '''secretary of state for Northern Ireland''' ({{langx|ga|Rúnaí Stáit Thuaisceart Éireann}}; {{langx|sco|Secretar o State for Norlin Airlan}}),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/sites/northsouthministerialcouncil.org/files/publications/nsmc_2008_annual_report_ulster_scots-6.pdf |title=2008 ANNUAL REPORT North South Council o Ministers |access-date=18 September 2021 |archive-date=11 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211055402/https://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/sites/northsouthministerialcouncil.org/files/publications/nsmc_2008_annual_report_ulster_scots-6.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfa.ie/ie/nuacht-agus-na-meain/preasraitis/press-release-archive/2012/nov/runai-stait-thuaisceart-eireann/buaileann-an-tanaiste-le-runai-stait-thuaisceart-eireann-an-feisire-theresa-villiers.php |title=Buaileann an Tánaiste le Rúnaí Stáit Thuaisceart Éireann – Buaileann an Tánaiste le Rúnaí Stáit Thuaisceart Éireann, an Feisire Theresa Villiers – Department of Foreign Affairs |website=www.dfa.ie |access-date=18 September 2021 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011174611/https://www.dfa.ie/ie/nuacht-agus-na-meain/preasraitis/press-release-archive/2012/nov/runai-stait-thuaisceart-eireann/buaileann-an-tanaiste-le-runai-stait-thuaisceart-eireann-an-feisire-theresa-villiers.php |url-status=live}}</ref> also referred to as '''Northern Ireland Secretary''' or '''SoSNI''', is a [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|secretary of state]] in the [[Government of the United Kingdom]], with overall responsibility for the [[Northern Ireland Office]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Secretary of State for Northern Ireland |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-northern-ireland |url-status=live |website=[[gov.uk]] |access-date=30 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101022605/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-northern-ireland |archive-date=1 November 2020}}</ref> The officeholder is a member of the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]]. The incumbent secretary of state for Northern Ireland is [[Hilary Benn]].

The officeholder works alongside the other [[Northern Ireland Office#Current ministers|Northern Ireland Office ministers]]. The corresponding [[shadow minister]] is the [[shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland]].

==History==
Historically, the principal ministers for Irish (and subsequently [[Northern Ireland]]) affairs in the [[UK Government]] and its predecessors were:
* the [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]] ({{circa}} 1171–1922);
* the [[Chief Secretary for Ireland]] (1560–1922); and
* the [[Home Secretary]] (1922–1972).<ref>{{cite web |title=Home Office |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=1&CATID=150&SearchInit=4&SearchType=6&CATREF=HO#admin |work=National Archives Catalogue |publisher=National Archives |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=3 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703025005/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=1&CATID=150&SearchInit=4&SearchType=6&CATREF=ho#admin |url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 1969, for example, [[Home Secretary]] [[James Callaghan]] approved the sending of [[British Army]] soldiers to Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |last=Melaugh |first=Martin |title=The Deployment of British Troops – 14 August 1969 |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/troops/index.html |work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) |publisher=[[University of Ulster]] |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=27 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827152936/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/troops/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Scotland and Wales were represented by the roles of [[Secretary of State for Scotland]] and [[Secretary of State for Wales]] from 1885 and 1964 respectively, but Northern Ireland remained separate, owing to the devolved [[Government of Northern Ireland (1921–1972)|Government of Northern Ireland]] and [[Parliament of Northern Ireland]].

The office of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was created after the Northern Ireland government (at [[Stormont, Belfast|Stormont]]) was first suspended and then abolished following widespread civil strife. The British government was increasingly concerned that Stormont was losing control of the situation. On 30 March 1972, direct rule from [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]] was introduced.<ref>{{cite web |last=Melaugh |first=Martin |title=A Chronology of the Conflict – 1972 |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch72.htm |work=Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) |publisher=University of Ulster |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=5 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305015858/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch72.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> The secretary of state filled three roles which existed under the previous Stormont regime:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/22/pdfs/ukpga_19720022_en.pdf |title=Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 |work=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=16 October 2011 |archive-date=2 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202123022/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/22/pdfs/ukpga_19720022_en.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
* the [[governor of Northern Ireland]] (the nominal head of the executive and representative of the [[British monarch]])
* the [[prime minister of Northern Ireland]] (in the present day, a role filled by the [[first minister of Northern Ireland]] and [[deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy first minister of Northern Ireland]] acting jointly)
* the [[Minister of Home Affairs (Northern Ireland)|minister of home affairs]] (in the present day, a role filled by the [[Minister of Justice (Northern Ireland)|minister of justice]]).

Direct rule was seen as a temporary measure, with a power-sharing devolution preferred as the solution, and was annually renewed by a vote in Parliament.

The [[Sunningdale Agreement]] in 1973 resulted in the brief existence of a power-sharing [[Northern Ireland Executive (1974)|Northern Ireland Executive]] from 1 January 1974, which was ended by the [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist]] [[Ulster Workers' Council strike]] on 28 May 1974. The strikers opposed the power-sharing and [[All-Ireland#In_politics|all-Ireland]] aspects of the new administration.

The [[Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention]] (1975–1976) and [[Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)|Northern Ireland Assembly]] (1982–1986) were unsuccessful in restoring devolved government. After the [[Anglo-Irish Agreement]] on 15 November 1985, the UK Government and Irish Government co-operated more closely on security and political matters.

Following the [[Belfast Agreement]] (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) on 10 April 1998, devolution returned to Northern Ireland on 2 December 1999. This removed many of the duties of the secretary of state and his Northern Ireland Office colleagues and devolved them to those locally elected politicians who constitute the [[Northern Ireland Executive]].

Formerly holding a large portfolio over [[home affairs]] in Northern Ireland, the current [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolution settlement]] has lessened the secretary of state's role, granting many of the former powers to the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]] and Northern Ireland Executive. The secretary of state is now generally limited to representing Northern Ireland in the [[UK cabinet]], overseeing the operation of the devolved administration and a number of [[reserved and excepted matters]] which remain the sole competence of the UK Government e.g. [[National security|security]], [[human rights]], certain public inquiries and the administration of elections.<ref>{{cite web|title=Northern Ireland Office // About the NIO|url=http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/about-the-nio.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917112740/http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/about-the-nio.htm|archive-date=17 September 2010|access-date=19 June 2010}}</ref>

Created in 1972, the position has switched between members of Parliament from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] and [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]. As Labour has not fielded candidates in Northern Ireland, and the Conservatives have not had candidates elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly or for [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] seats in the region, those appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have not represented a constituency in Northern Ireland. This contrasts with the secretaries of state for Scotland and Wales.

The secretary of state officially resides in [[Hillsborough Castle]], which was previously the official residence of the [[governor of Northern Ireland]], and remains the [[List of British royal residences|royal residence]] of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|monarch]] in Northern Ireland. The secretary of state exercises their duties through, and is administratively supported by, the [[Northern Ireland Office]] (NIO).

The devolved administration was suspended several times (especially between 15 October 2002 and 8 May 2007) because the [[Ulster Unionist Party]] and [[Democratic Unionist Party]] were uncomfortable being in government with [[Sinn Féin]] when the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] had failed to decommission its arms fully and continued its criminal activities. On each of these occasions, the responsibilities of the ministers in the Executive then returned to the secretary of state and his ministers. During these periods, in addition to administration of the region, the secretary of state was also heavily involved in the negotiations with all parties to restore devolved government.

Power was again devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007. The secretary of state retained responsibility for policing and justice until most of those powers were devolved on 12 April 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last=Simpson |first=Mark |title=New era for policing and justice in Northern Ireland |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8613253.stm |url-status=live |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=12 April 2010 |access-date=11 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415064647/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8613253.stm |archive-date=15 April 2010}}</ref> Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for Scotland and for Wales into one secretary of state for the Union,<ref>{{cite news |title=Times letters: Mark Sedwill's call for a cull of the cabinet |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/times-letters-mark-sedwills-call-for-a-cull-of-the-cabinet-6x2kgqdhc |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=30 July 2020 |access-date=30 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809184325/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/times-letters-mark-sedwills-call-for-a-cull-of-the-cabinet-6x2kgqdhc |archive-date=9 August 2020 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> in a department into which [[Rodney Brazier]] has suggested adding a minister of state for England with responsibility for [[Local government in England|English local government]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Rodney Brazier: Why is Her Majesty's Government so big? |url=https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2020/09/07/rodney-brazier-why-is-her-majestys-government-so-big/ |url-status=live |publisher=UK Constitutional Law Association |date=7 September 2020 |access-date=30 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129042035/https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2020/09/07/rodney-brazier-why-is-her-majestys-government-so-big/ |archive-date=29 November 2020}}</ref>

== List of secretaries of state for Northern Ireland ==
'''Colour key'''<br/>
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | Secretary of state
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Party
! colspan=2 | Prime Minister

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| '''[[William Whitelaw]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Penrith and The Border]]}}
| 24 March 1972
| 2 December 1973
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[Edward Heath]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Francis Leslie Pym.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Francis Pym]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Cambridgeshire]]}}
| 2 December 1973
| 4 March 1974
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Merlyn Rees appearing on After Dark , 16 July 1988 - (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Merlyn Rees]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)|Leeds South]]}}
| 5 March 1974
| 10 September 1976
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Harold Wilson]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| '''[[Roy Mason]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Barnsley (UK Parliament constituency)|Barnsley]]}}
| 10 September 1976
| 4 May 1979
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[James Callaghan]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| '''[[Humphrey Atkins]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Spelthorne (UK Parliament constituency)|Spelthorne]]}}
| 5 May 1979
| 14 September 1981
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=5 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=5 | [[Margaret Thatcher]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| '''[[Jim Prior]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)|Lowestoft]] (until 1983)<br/>MP for [[Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)|Waveney]] (from 1983)}}
| 14 September 1981
| 11 September 1984
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Douglas Hurd, November 2007 cropped.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Douglas Hurd]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Witney (UK Parliament constituency)|Witney]]}}
| 11 September 1984
| 3 September 1985
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Lord King of Bridgwater crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater|Tom King]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Bridgwater (UK Parliament constituency)|Bridgwater]]}}
| 3 September 1985
| 24 July 1989
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | '''[[Peter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville|Peter Brooke]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Cities of London <br/>and Westminster South]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 24 July 1989
| rowspan=2 | 10 April 1992
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[John Major]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:No image.svg|75px]]
| '''[[Patrick Mayhew]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)|Tunbridge Wells]]}}
| 10 April 1992
| 2 May 1997
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Mo Mowlam official portrait 2 (cropped).jpg|99x99px]]
| '''[[Mo Mowlam]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Redcar (UK Parliament constituency)|Redcar]]}}
| 3 May 1997
| 11 October 1999
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| rowspan=5 style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=5 | [[Tony Blair]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Peter Mandelson, December 2004.jpg|99x99px]]
| '''[[Peter Mandelson]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Hartlepool (UK Parliament constituency)|Hartlepool]]}}
| 11 October 1999
| 24 January 2001
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Lord Reid of Cardowan, 2020.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Hamilton North and Bellshill (UK Parliament constituency)|Hamilton North and Bellshill]]}}
| 25 January 2001
| 24 October 2002
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Lord Murphy of Torfaen 2020 crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Paul Murphy, Baron Murphy of Torfaen|Paul Murphy]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)|Torfaen]]}}
| 24 October 2002
| 6 May 2005
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Peter Hain Ministerial portrait (3x4 crop).jpg|100x100px]]
| '''[[Peter Hain]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Neath (UK Parliament constituency)|Neath]]}}<br/>{{Small|''(also [[Welsh Secretary]])''}}
| 6 May 2005
| 28 June 2007
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Shaun Woodward, June 2009 cropped.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Shaun Woodward]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[St Helens South (UK Parliament constituency)|St Helens South]]}}
| 28 June 2007
| 11 May 2010
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Gordon Brown]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Owen Paterson]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[North Shropshire (UK Parliament constituency)|North Shropshire]]}}
| 12 May 2010
| [[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|4 September 2012]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[David Cameron]]<br/>{{Small|([[Cameron–Clegg coalition|Coalition]])}}

|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Theresa_Villiers_Official_Portrait.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | '''[[Theresa Villiers]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Chipping Barnet (UK Parliament constituency)|Chipping Barnet]]}}
| rowspan=2 | [[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|4 September 2012]]
| rowspan=2 | 14 July 2016
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| [[David Cameron]]<br/>{{Small|([[Second Cameron ministry|II]])}}

|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | '''[[James Brokenshire]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Old Bexley and Sidcup]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 14 July 2016
| rowspan=2 | [[2018 British cabinet reshuffle|8 January 2018]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Theresa May]]<br/>{{Small|([[First May ministry|I]])}}
|-
| rowspan=2 | [[Theresa May]]<br/>{{Small|([[Second May ministry|II]])}}

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Karen Bradley crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Karen Bradley]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Staffordshire Moorlands (UK Parliament constituency)|Staffordshire Moorlands]]}}
| [[2018 British cabinet reshuffle|8 January 2018]]
| 24 July 2019
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Official portrait of Julian Smith crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | '''[[Julian Smith (politician)|Julian Smith]]'''<br/>{{Small| MP for [[Skipton and Ripon]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 24 July 2019
| rowspan=2 | [[2020 British cabinet reshuffle|13 February 2020]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=4 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Boris Johnson]]<br/>{{Small|([[First Johnson ministry|I]])}}
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[Boris Johnson]]<br/>{{Small|([[Second Johnson ministry|II]])}}

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Official_portrait_of_Rt_Hon_Brandon_Lewis_MP_crop_2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Brandon Lewis]]'''<br/>{{Small| MP for [[Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Great Yarmouth]]}}
| [[2020 British cabinet reshuffle|13 February 2020]]
| [[July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis#7 July|7 July 2022]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Official portrait of Mr Shailesh Vara MP crop 2.jpg|75px]]
| '''[[Shailesh Vara]]'''<br/>{{Small| MP for [[North West Cambridgeshire]]}}
| [[July 2022 British cabinet reshuffle|7 July 2022]]
| 6 September 2022
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Official portrait of Chris Heaton-Harris MP crop 2.jpg|99x99px]]
| rowspan=2 | '''[[Chris Heaton-Harris]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Daventry (UK Parliament constituency)|Daventry]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 6 September 2022
| rowspan=2 | 5 July 2024
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Liz Truss]]<br/>{{Small|([[Truss ministry|I]])}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Rishi Sunak]]<br/>{{Small|([[Sunak ministry|I]])}}

|-
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP crop 2.jpg|99x99px]]
| '''[[Hilary Benn]]'''<br/>{{Small|MP for [[Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)|Leeds South]]}}
| 5 July 2024
| ''Incumbent''
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| [[Keir Starmer]]<br/>{{Small|([[Starmer ministry|I]])}}

|}

== Timeline ==
{{#tag:timeline|ImageSize=width:1100 height:auto barincrement:13
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
AlignBars  = late
PlotArea   = width:90% left:15 top:10 bottom:80
Legend     = columns:1 left:120 top:50 columnwidth:175

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1970 till:31/12/{{#time:Y|+1 year}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal

Colors     =
  id:conservative value:rgb(0,0.53,0.86)      legend: Conservative_and_Unionist_Party
  id:labour       value:rgb(0.86,0.08,0.18)   legend: Labour_Party
  id:libdem       value:rgb(0.98,0.651,0.102) legend: Liberal_Democrats
  id:independent  value:rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6)      legend: Independent_or_no_party
  id:liteline     value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
  id:line         value:rgb(0.8,0.8,0.8)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line     unit:year increment:10 start:1970
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:liteline unit:year increment:2  start:1970

TextData =
  pos:(20,55) textcolor:black fontsize:M
  text:"Political parties:"

BarData = 
 bar:Whitelaw
 bar:Pym
 bar:Rees
 bar:Mason
 bar:Atkins
 bar:Prior 
 bar:Hurd
 bar:King
 bar:Brooke
 bar:Mayhew
 bar:Mowlam 
 bar:Mandelson
 bar:Reid
 bar:Murphy 
 bar:Hain
 bar:Woodward
 bar:Paterson
 bar:Villiers
 bar:Brokenshire
 bar:Bradley 
 bar:Smith
 bar:Lewis
 bar:Vara
 bar:Heaton-Harris
 bar:Benn

PlotData=
  width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
 
 bar:Whitelaw
  from: 24/03/1972 till: 02/12/1973 color:Conservative text:"[[William Whitelaw]]"
 bar:Pym
  from: 02/12/1973 till: 04/03/1974 color:Conservative text:"[[Francis Pym]]"
 bar:Rees
  from: 05/03/1974 till: 10/09/1976 color:Labour       text:"[[Merlyn Rees]]"
 bar:Mason
  from: 10/09/1976 till: 04/07/1979 color:Labour       text:"[[Roy Mason]]"
 bar:Atkins
  from: 05/05/1979 till: 14/09/1981 color:Conservative text:"[[Humphrey Atkins]]"
 bar:Prior 
  from: 14/09/1981 till: 11/09/1984 color:Conservative text:"[[Jim Prior]]"
 bar:Hurd
  from: 11/09/1984 till: 03/09/1985 color:Conservative text:"[[Douglas Hurd]]"
 bar:King
  from: 03/09/1985 till: 24/07/1989 color:Conservative text:"[[Tom King]]"
 bar:Brooke
  from: 24/07/1989 till: 10/04/1992 color:Conservative text:"[[Peter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville|Peter Brooke]]"
 bar:Mayhew
  from: 10/04/1992 till: 02/05/1997 color:Conservative text:"[[Patrick Mayhew]]"
 bar:Mowlam 
  from: 03/05/1997 till: 11/10/1999 color:Labour       text:"[[Mo Mowlam]]"
 bar:Mandelson
  from: 11/10/1999 till: 24/01/2001 color:Labour       text:"[[Peter Mandelson]]"
 bar:Reid
  from: 25/01/2001 till: 24/10/2002 color:Labour       text:"[[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]]"
 bar:Murphy 
  from: 24/10/2002 till: 06/05/2005 color:Labour       text:"[[Paul Murphy, Baron Murphy of Torfaen|Paul Murphy]]"
 bar:Hain
  from: 06/05/2005 till: 28/06/2007 color:Labour       text:"[[Peter Hain]]"
 bar:Woodward
  from: 28/06/2007 till: 11/05/2010 color:Labour       text:"[[Shaun Woodward]]"
 bar:Paterson
  from: 12/05/2010 till: 04/09/2012 color:Conservative text:"[[Owen Paterson]]"
 bar:Villiers
  from: 04/09/2012 till: 14/07/2016 color:Conservative text:"[[Theresa Villiers]]"
 bar:Brokenshire
  from: 14/07/2016 till: 08/01/2018 color:Conservative text:"[[James Brokenshire]]"
 bar:Bradley 
  from: 08/01/2018 till: 24/07/2019 color:Conservative text:"[[Karen Bradley]]"
 bar:Smith
  from: 24/07/2019 till: 13/02/2020 color:Conservative text:"[[Julian Smith (politician)|Julian Smith]]"
 bar:Lewis
  from: 13/02/2020 till: 07/07/2022 color:Conservative text:"[[Brandon Lewis]]"
 bar:Vara
  from: 07/07/2022 till: 06/09/2022 color:Conservative text:"[[Shailesh Vara]]"
 bar:Heaton-Harris
  from: 06/09/2022 till: 04/07/2024     color:Conservative text:"[[Chris Heaton-Harris]]"
 bar:Benn
  from: 05/07/2024 till: $today     color:Labour text:"[[Hilary Benn]]"
}}

==See also==
* [[First Minister of Northern Ireland]]
* [[Great Seal of Northern Ireland]]
* [[Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland]]
* [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)]]
* [[Secretary of State for Scotland]]
* [[Secretary of State for Wales]]
* [[Chief Secretary for Ireland]], office that existed until 1922
* [[Governor of Northern Ireland]], office that existed from 1922 to 1973

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Northern Ireland Office}}
{{Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland}}
{{Cabinet positions in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom|Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Government of Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in the United Kingdom]]