Secretary of State (United Kingdom)

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For". Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Sidebar". His Majesty's principal secretaries of state, or secretaries of state, are senior ministers of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. Secretaries of state head most major government departments and make up the majority of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

Legal position

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File:Parking sign in Richmond Park, UK - 3.jpg
Sign in Richmond Park citing the authority of the Secretary of State.

Legislation in the United Kingdom is often written like this example section of a hypothetical Silly Walks Act 1970:

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1. Grant powers

On the appointed day, the Secretary of State shall be empowered to grant money towards the development of fatuous ambulations as seen fit.

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In legislation, the term "Secretary of State", thus capitalised, is interpreted under the Interpretation Act 1978[1] as referring to any one of the secretaries of state in use; in practice, such secretaries of state are each allocated a portfolio by the prime minister, and only exercise the powers in that portfolio.[2] In this example, a "secretary of state for Silly Walks" would be appointed to exercise the provisions of the act, but could theoretically exercise the powers of, for example, the secretary of state for Scotland at any time. There are exceptions, in that legislation sometimes refers to particular secretaries of state.[3]

Under the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975, a maximum of 21 secretaries of state can receive a salary.[4]

Secretaries of state and other government ministers are appointed by the monarch exercising royal prerogative on the advice of the government.[5] By convention secretaries of state must be a member of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, but the prime minister can advise the monarch to confer a peerage to satisfy this requirement.[6]

Most secretaries of state are incorporated as a "corporation sole". This gives the minister a separate legal personality, allowing continuity in areas such as the ownership of property between office-holder changes.[7]

History

Kingdom of England

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The origin of the office lies in the office of the king's private secretary.[8] However, by the Tudor period, the office's purview had become more onerous.[8]

In 1539 or 1540, Henry VIII appointed two people to the office.[8][9]Template:Rp After the Stuart Restoration, the practice of appointing two secretaries of state resumed.[10] A formal division, in the form of the offices of the secretary of state for the Northern Department and the secretary of state for the Southern Department, was made in 1689,[8] though the office had been first divided into the Northern and Southern Department purviews in 1660.[9]Template:Rp

After the Union

In 1782, the responsibilities of these offices were changed, so that one would be responsible for foreign affairs and one for domestic affairs, thus establishing the embryonic offices of foreign secretary and home secretary.[8][10] Over time, the number of secretaries of states grew, so that there were five in 1900 and 14 by 1996.[8] There are currently 16 secretaries of state.[11]

Secretaries of state currently in use

Template:Also

Secretaries of state currently in use
Office Created Created from Dissolved Dissolved into Ref(s)
Secretary of State for the Home Department 27 March 1782 Template:Ubli [8]
Secretary of State for Scotland 1 May 1707 3 January 1746 [8]
26 July 1928 [8][9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Wales 18 October 1964 Minister of Welsh Affairs (Home Office) [12]
Secretary of State for Defence 1 April 1964 Template:Ubli [13]
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 27 March 1972 Template:Ubli [14]
Secretary of State for Transport 10 September 1976 Secretary of State for the Environment 4 May 1979 [15][9]Template:Rp
5 January 1981 2 May 1997 Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions [9]Template:Rp
29 May 2002 Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions [16]
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 8 June 2001 Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions [17]
Secretary of State for Education 10 April 1992 Secretary of State for Education and Science 5 July 1995 Secretary of State for Education and Employment
12 May 2010 Template:Ubli [18]
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 22 July 1997 Secretary of State for National Heritage 11 May 2010 Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
4 September 2012 Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 3 July 2017 Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
7 February 2023 Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 8 June 2001 Secretary of State for Social Security [19]
Secretary of State for Justice 9 May 2007 Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs [20]
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 8 January 2018 Secretary of State for Health [21]
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs 2 September 2020 Template:Ubl [22]
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 8 January 2018 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 19 September 2021 Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities [21]
5 July 2024 Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities [23]
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero 7 February 2023 Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy [24]
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology 7 February 2023 Template:Ubli [24]
Secretary of State for Business and Trade 7 February 2023 Template:Ubli

Secretaries of state no longer in use

Secretaries of state no longer in use
Office Created Created from Dissolved Dissolved into Ref(s)
Secretary of State for the Northern Department 1689 Secretary of State 1782 Template:Ubli [8]
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Secretary of State for the Colonies 1768 1782 Secretary of State for the Home Department [8][9]Template:Rp
1854 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs [8]
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1782 Template:Ubli 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [8]
Secretary of State for War 1794 1801 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies [8]
1854 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1964 Secretary of State for Defence [8]
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1801 Template:Ubli 1854 Template:Ubli [8]
Secretary of State for India 1858 President of the Board of Control 1937 Secretary of State for India and Burma [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Air 1919 1964 Secretary of State for Defence [13][9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for the Dominions 1925 [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for India and Burma 1937 Secretary of State for India 1947 Secretary of State for Burma [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Burma 1947 Secretary of State for India and Burma 1948 [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations 1947 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for the Co-Ordination of Transport, Fuel and Power 1951 1953 [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Economic Affairs 1964 1969 [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Education and Science 1964 1992 Secretary of State for Education [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity 1968 1970 Secretary of State for Employment [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Social Services 1968 Template:Ubli 1988 Template:Ubli [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 2020 [22][9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning 1969 1970 [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Employment 1970 1995 Secretary of State for Education and Employment [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for the Environment 1970 1997 Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1970 1974 Template:Ubli [9]Template:Rp[9]Template:Rp
1983 Template:Ubli 2007 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection 1974 1979 Secretary of State for Trade [9]Template:Rp
Secretary of State for Social Security 1988 2001 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Secretary of State for International Development 1997 2020 Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs 2003 Template:Ubli 2007 Secretary of State for Justice
Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2007 Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 2009 Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union 2016 2020 [25][26]
Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office 2023 2024 [24]
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 2021 Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 2024 Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [27]

Health, education, work, business, energy, environment, transport and the regions

The secretaries of state that have been used for the matters of health, education, work, business, energy, environment, transport and the regions are shown in the graphic below. It shows how portfolios of responsibilities have been broadly passed down from one secretary of state position to the position(s) directly below it. However, it is impossible for such a graphic to be completely accurate; it cannot show smaller changes, or gains or losses of responsibilities within a position due to changes of responsibilities for the UK Government (for example, due to devolution or Brexit). It is not to scale. In the gaps, and before the first of these secretaries of state, relevant responsibilities were taken on by ministers not titled 'Secretary of State'.

1963 Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1963–64)
1964 Secretary of State for Education and Science (1964–1992)
1968 Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1968–1988) Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (1968–1970)
1969 Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning (1969–70)
1970 Secretary of State for Employment (1970–1995) Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1970–74)
1974 Secretary of State for Industry (1974–1983) Secretary of State for Trade (1974–83) Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1974–1979) Secretary of State for Energy (1974–1992)
1976 Secretary of State for the Environment (1970–1997) Secretary of State for Transport (1976–1979)
1979
1981 Secretary of State for Transport (1981–1997)
1983
1988 Secretary of State for Health (1988–2018) Secretary of State for Social Security (1988–2001)
1992 Secretary of State for Education (1992–1995) Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1983–2007)
1995 Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1995–2001)
1997 Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997–2001)
2001 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2001–present) Secretary of State for Education and Skills (2001–2007) Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2001–present) Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (2001–02)
2002 Secretary of State for Transport (2002–present)
2006 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (2006–18)
2007 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007–10) Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (2007–2009) Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (2007–2009)
2008 Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2008–2016)
2009 Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (2009–2016)
2010
2016 Secretary of State for International Trade (2016–2023) Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2016–2023)
2018 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2018–present) Secretary of State for Education (2010–present) Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (2018–2021)
2021 Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (2021–2024)
2023 Secretary of State for Business and Trade (2023–present) Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (2023–present) Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (2023–present)
2024 Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (2024–present)

Key:

Secretary of state primarily relating to health
Secretary of state primarily relating to work and benefits
Secretary of state primarily relating to education
Secretary of state primarily relating to business
Secretary of state primarily relating to energy
Secretary of state primarily relating to the regions
Secretary of state primarily relating to transport
Secretary of state covering more than one of these areas
Secretary of state currently in use

Culture

The Secretaries of state that have been used for culture, heritage and sport are as follows:

Secretary of State for National Heritage (1992–1997)
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1997–2010)
Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (2010–2012)
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2012–2017)
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2017–2023)
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2023–present)

References

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  1. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
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  5. ↑ The Governance of Britain Template:Webarchive
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  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b Template:Cite legislation UK
  14. ↑ Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972.
  15. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  16. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  17. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  18. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  19. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  20. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  21. ↑ a b Template:Cite legislation UK
  22. ↑ a b Template:Cite legislation UK
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  25. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Template:Cite legislation UK

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