16-765: The secretary of state for Commonwealth relations was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom , responsible for dealing with the United Kingdom 's relations with members of the Commonwealth of Nations (its former colonies). The minister's department was the Commonwealth Relations Office (CRO). The position was created in 1947 out of the old positions of secretary of state for dominion affairs and secretary of state for India . In 1966,
32-680: A foreign minister in many other countries, the Foreign Secretary's remit includes: The official residence of the foreign secretary is 1 Carlton Gardens , in London . The foreign secretary also has the use of Chevening House , a country house in Kent , South East England , and works from the Foreign Office in Whitehall . The title of secretary of state in the government of England dates back to
48-545: The Dominions Office . Eventually, the position of secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs came into existence in 1968 with the merger of the functions of secretary of the state for foreign affairs and the secretary of state for Commonwealth affairs into a single department of state . Margaret Beckett , appointed in 2006 by Tony Blair , was the first woman to hold the post. The post of secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs
64-545: The Monarch exercising royal prerogative on the advice of the government. 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. Most secretaries of state are incorporated as a " corporation sole ". This gives the minister a separate legal personality, allowing continuity in areas such as
80-554: The foreign secretary , is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom , with responsibility for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office . The role is seen as one of the most senior ministers in the UK Government and is a Great Office of State . The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom and National Security Council, and reports directly to
96-419: The prime minister . The officeholder works alongside the other Foreign Office ministers . The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow foreign secretary . The Foreign Affairs Select Committee also evaluates the secretary of state's performance. The current foreign secretary is David Lammy . He was appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 5 July 2024. In contrast to what is generally known as
112-511: 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 . Legislation in the United Kingdom is often written like this example section of a hypothetical Silly Walks Act 1970 : 1. Grant powers On the appointed day, the Secretary of State shall be empowered to grant money towards
128-518: The development of fatuous ambulations as seen fit. In legislation, the term "Secretary of State", thus capitalised, is interpreted under the Interpretation Act 1978 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. In this example, a "Secretary of State for Silly Walks" would be appointed to exercise
144-636: The early 17th century. The position of secretary of state for foreign affairs was created in the British governmental reorganisation of 1782 , in which the Northern Department and Southern Department became the Foreign Office and Home Office respectively. The India Office was closed down in 1947. It had been a constituent predecessor department of the Foreign Office, like the Colonial Office and
160-510: The embryonic offices of foreign secretary and home secretary . Over time, the number of secretaries of states grew, so that there were five in 1900 and 14 by 1996. There are currently 16 secretaries of state. 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
176-598: 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, though the office had been first divided into the Northern and Southern Department purviews in 1660. 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
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#1732844138447192-510: The ownership of property between office-holder changes. The origin of the office lies in the office of the king's private secretary . However, by the Tudor period , the office's purview had become more onerous. In 1539 or 1540, Henry VIII appointed two people to the office. After the Stuart Restoration , the practice of appointing two secretaries of state resumed. A formal division, in
208-575: The position was merged with that of the secretary of state for the colonies to form that of secretary of state for Commonwealth affairs , which was in turn merged with the secretary of state for foreign affairs in 1968 to create the new position of secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs . The equivalent position today is the secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs . Secretary of State (United Kingdom) His Majesty's principal secretaries of state , or secretaries of state , are senior ministers of
224-1158: 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'. Key: The Secretaries of state that have been used for culture, heritage and sport are as follows: Foreign Secretary King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The secretary of state for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs , also known as
240-570: 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. Under the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 , a maximum of 21 secretaries of state can receive a salary. Secretaries of state and other government ministers are appointed by
256-560: Was created in 2020 when position holder Dominic Raab absorbed the responsibilities of the secretary of state for international development . Post created through the merger of the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office . Tenure Post created through the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development . Tenure Prime Minister Keir Starmer Chancellor of
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