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 the development of fatuous ambulations as seen fit.
The "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 are provided a portfolio by the prime minister, and only exercise their power in that portfolio. In this example, a "Secretary of State for Silly Walks" would be created to enforce the provisions of the Act, but could theoretically exercise the powers of, for example, the Secretary of State for Scotland at any time. A prominent exception to this arrangement is the Lord Chancellor, who is explicitly referred to as such in primary legislation and is not interchangeable with other offices by executive order.
Secretaries of state, like other government ministers, are appointed through the royal prerogative.[5]
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.[6]
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.[2][8] Over time, the number of secretaries of states grew, so that there were five in 1900 and 14 by 1996.[2] There are currently 16 secretaries of state.[3]
Health, education, work, business, energy, environment, transport and the regionsEdit
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'.
^"Government ministers". Institute for Government. Retrieved 1 February 2021. What are the different types of minister? The most senior government ministers, except the prime minister, are secretaries of state.
^ abcd"Ministers". gov.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
^"Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975, Schedule 1, Part V, Paragraph 2". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021. In the case of the following offices a salary may be paid to more than one holder of the office at the same time, subject to the limitations expressed below, that is to say— (a) Secretary of State, so long as not more than 21 salaries are paid at the same time in accordance with Part I above;
^Ministry of Justice (October 2009). "The Governance of Britain: Review of the Executive Royal Prerogative Powers: Final Report" (PDF). p. 33. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
^Cabinet Manual. 14 December 2010. 3.28 Most secretaries of state are incorporated as 'corporations sole'. This gives the minister a separate legal personality. This is administratively convenient, for example as regards the ownership of property, because it facilitates continuity when the officeholder changes.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
^ abSainty, J. C. (1973). "Introduction". Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 2 - Officials of the Secretaries of State 1660-1782. University of London. pp. 1–21 – via British History Online. At the Restoration [in 1660] the practice of appointing two Secretaries of State, which was well established before the Civil War, was resumed. Apart from the modifications which were made necessary by the occasional existence of a third secretaryship, the organisation of the secretariat underwent no fundamental change from that time until the reforms of 1782 which resulted in the emergence of the Home and Foreign departments. ... English domestic affairs remained the responsibility of both Secretaries throughout the period. In the field of foreign affairs there was a division into a Northern and a Southern Department, each of which was the responsibility of one Secretary. The distinction between the two departments emerged only gradually. It was not until after 1689 that their names passed into general currency. Nevertheless the division of foreign business itself can, in its broad outlines, be detected in the early years of the reign of Charles II.
^ abc"ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE KING AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 15TH FEBRUARY 2023" (PDF). Privy Council Meetings. The Privy Council Office: 8–10.
^Torrance, David (19 June 2019). "Introduction to devolution in the UK". House of Commons Library. p. 12. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
^ abThe Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Transfer of Functions (Commonhold Land) Order 2018.
^ abThe Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) Order 2020.
^The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Order 2021.
^The Secretaries of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for International Trade and for Exiting the European Union and the Transfer of Functions (Education and Skills) Order 2016.
^Duffy, Nick (1 February 2020). "Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay exits cabinet as Boris Johnson shutters department". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
October 19, 2023
secretary, state, united, kingdom, secretaries, state, kingdom, england, before, 1707, secretary, state, england, majesty, principal, secretaries, state, secretaries, state, senior, ministers, crown, government, united, kingdom, secretaries, state, head, most,. For secretaries of state of the Kingdom of England before 1707 see Secretary of State England His Majesty s principal secretaries of state or secretaries of state are senior ministers of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom 1 Secretaries of state head most major government departments 2 and make up the majority of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom 3 There are currently 17 secretaries of state 3 They are all also currently members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons although it is possible for them to be members of the House of Lords 3 Contents 1 Legal position 2 History 2 1 Kingdom of England 2 2 After the Union 3 Secretaries of state currently in use 4 Secretaries of state no longer in use 4 1 Health education work business energy environment transport and the regions 4 2 Culture 5 ReferencesLegal position EditLegislation in the United Kingdom is often written like this example section of a hypothetical Silly Walks Act 1970 1 Grant powersOn the appointed day the Secretary of State shall be empowered to grant money towards the development of fatuous ambulations as seen fit The 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 are provided a portfolio by the prime minister and only exercise their power in that portfolio In this example a Secretary of State for Silly Walks would be created to enforce the provisions of the Act but could theoretically exercise the powers of for example the Secretary of State for Scotland at any time A prominent exception to this arrangement is the Lord Chancellor who is explicitly referred to as such in primary legislation and is not interchangeable with other offices by executive order Under the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 a maximum of 21 secretaries of state can receive a salary 4 Secretaries of state like other government ministers are appointed through the royal prerogative 5 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 6 History EditKingdom of England Edit Main article Secretary of State England The origin of the office lies in the office of the king s private secretary 2 However by the Tudor period the office s purview had become more onerous 2 In 1539 or 1540 Henry VIII appointed two people to the office 2 7 p 29 After the Stuart Restoration the practice of appointing two secretaries of state resumed 8 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 2 though the office had been first divided into the Northern and Southern Department purviews in 1660 7 p 30 After the Union Edit 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 2 8 Over time the number of secretaries of states grew so that there were five in 1900 and 14 by 1996 2 There are currently 16 secretaries of state 3 Secretaries of state currently in use EditSee also List of government ministers of the United Kingdom Secretaries of state currently in use Office Created Created from Dissolved Dissolved into Ref s Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office 2023 9 Secretary of State for the Home Department 1782 orally embryonically Secretary of State for the Northern DepartmentSecretary of State for the Southern Department 2 Secretary of State for Scotland 1709 1746 2 1926 or 1928 2 7 p 118 Secretary of State for Wales 1964 Minister of Welsh Affairs Home Office 10 Secretary of State for Defence 1964 Minister of DefenceSecretary of State for WarSecretary of State for AirFirst Lord of the Admiralty 11 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1972 Governor of Northern IrelandGovernor in CouncilGovernment of Northern IrelandMinister of the Government of Northern IrelandHead of a department of the Government of Northern IrelandDepartments of the Government of Northern Ireland 12 Secretary of State for Transport 1976 Secretary of State for the Environment 1979 13 7 p 98 1981 1997 Secretary of State for the Environment Transport and the Regions 7 p 98 2002 Secretary of State for Transport Local Government and the Regions 14 Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 2001 Secretary of State for the Environment Transport and the Regions 15 Secretary of State for Education 1992 Secretary of State for Education and Science 1995 Secretary of State for Education and Employment2010 Secretary of State for Children Schools and FamiliesSecretary of State for Innovation Universities and Skills 16 Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport 1997 Secretary of State for National Heritage 2010 Secretary of State for Culture Olympics Media and Sport2012 Secretary of State for Culture Olympics Media and Sport 2017 Secretary of State for Digital Culture Media and Sport2023 Secretary of State for Digital Culture Media and SportSecretary of State for Work and Pensions 2002 Secretary of State for Social Security 17 Secretary of State for Justice 2007 Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs 18 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 2018 Secretary of State for Health 19 Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs 2020 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsSecretary of State for International Development 20 Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities 2021 Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government 21 Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero 2023 Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy 9 Secretary of State for Science Innovation and Technology 2023 Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial StrategySecretary of State for Digital Culture Media and Sport 9 Secretary of State for Business and Trade 2023 Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial StrategySecretary of State for International TradeSecretaries of state no longer in use EditSecretaries 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 Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsSecretary of State for the Home Department 2 Secretary of State for the Southern DepartmentSecretary of State for the Colonies 1768 1782 Secretary of State for the Home Department 2 7 p 41 1854 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs 2 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1782 Secretary of State for the Northern DepartmentSecretary of State for the Southern Department 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 2 Secretary of State for War 1794 1801 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 2 1854 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1964 Secretary of State for Defence 2 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1801 Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSecretary of State for War 1854 Secretary of State for the ColoniesSecretary of State for War 2 Secretary of State for India 1858 President of the Board of Control 1937 Secretary of State for India and Burma 7 p 46 Secretary of State for Air 1919 1964 Secretary of State for Defence 11 7 p 61 Secretary of State for the Dominions 1925 7 p 43 44 Secretary of State for India and Burma 1937 Secretary of State for India 1947 Secretary of State for Burma 7 p 46 Secretary of State for Burma 1947 Secretary of State for India and Burma 1948 7 p 46 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations 1947 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs 7 p 44 Secretary of State for the Co Ordination of Transport Fuel and Power 1951 1953 7 p 102 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs 1966 Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs 7 p 44 Secretary of State for Economic Affairs 1964 1969 7 p 12 Secretary of State for Education and Science 1964 1992 Secretary of State for Education 7 p 80 Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity 1968 1970 Secretary of State for Employment 7 p 90 Secretary of State for Social Services 1968 Minister of HealthMinister of Social Security 1988 Secretary of State for HealthSecretary of State for Social Security 7 p 84 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 1968 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 2020 20 7 p 37 Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning 1969 1970 7 p 95 Secretary of State for Employment 1970 1995 Secretary of State for Education and Employment 7 p 90 Secretary of State for the Environment 1970 1997 Secretary of State for Environment Transport and the Regions 7 p 92 Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1970 1974 Secretary of State for TradeSecretary of State for Industry 7 p 71 7 p 73 1983 Secretary of State for TradeSecretary of State for Industry 2007 Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory ReformSecretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection 1974 1979 Secretary of State for Trade 7 p 72 Secretary of State for Social Security 1988 2001 Secretary of State for Work and PensionsSecretary of State for International Development 1997 2020 Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development AffairsSecretary of State for Constitutional Affairs 2003 Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentLord Chancellor s Department 2007 Secretary of State for JusticeSecretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2007 Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 2009 Secretary of State for Business Innovation and SkillsSecretary of State for Exiting the European Union 2016 2020 22 23 Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government 2018 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2021 Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities 19 Health education work business energy environment transport and the regions Edit 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 92 1968 Secretary of State for Health and Social Services 1968 88 Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity 1968 70 1969 Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning 1969 70 1970 Secretary of State for Employment 1970 95 Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1970 74 1974 Secretary of State for Industry 1974 83 Secretary of State for Trade 1974 83 Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection 1974 79 Secretary of State for Energy 1974 92 1976 Secretary of State for the Environment 1970 97 Secretary of State for Transport 1976 9 19791981 Secretary of State for Transport 1981 97 19831988 Secretary of State for Health 1988 2018 Secretary of State for Social Security 1988 2001 1992 Secretary of State for Education 1992 95 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 07 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 09 Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2007 09 2008 Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2008 16 2009 Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills 2009 16 20102016 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 present 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 Key Secretary of state primarily relating to healthSecretary of state primarily relating to work and benefitsSecretary of state primarily relating to educationSecretary of state primarily relating to businessSecretary of state primarily relating to energySecretary of state primarily relating to the regionsSecretary of state primarily relating to transportSecretary of state covering more than one of these areasSecretary of state currently in useCulture Edit The Secretaries of state that have been used for culture heritage and sport are as follows Secretary of State for National Heritage 1992 97 Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport 1997 2010 Secretary of State for Culture Olympics Media and Sport 2010 12 Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport 2012 17 Secretary of State for Digital Culture Media and Sport 2017 23 Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport 2023 present References Edit Government ministers Institute for Government Retrieved 1 February 2021 What are the different types of minister The most senior government ministers except the prime minister are secretaries of state a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Brazier Rodney 1997 Ministers of the Crown Oxford Clarendon pp 9 10 ISBN 0 19 825988 3 OCLC 37301571 a b c d Ministers gov uk Retrieved 31 March 2021 Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 Schedule 1 Part V Paragraph 2 legislation gov uk Retrieved 1 February 2021 In the case of the following offices a salary may be paid to more than one holder of the office at the same time subject to the limitations expressed below that is to say a Secretary of State so long as not more than 21 salaries are paid at the same time in accordance with Part I above Ministry of Justice October 2009 The Governance of Britain Review of the Executive Royal Prerogative Powers Final Report PDF p 33 Retrieved 9 September 2020 Cabinet Manual 14 December 2010 3 28 Most secretaries of state are incorporated as corporations sole This gives the minister a separate legal personality This is administratively convenient for example as regards the ownership of property because it facilitates continuity when the officeholder changes a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Pickrill DA 1981 Ministers of the Crown Routledge amp Kegan Paul ISBN 0 7100 0916 X a b Sainty J C 1973 Introduction Office Holders in Modern Britain Volume 2 Officials of the Secretaries of State 1660 1782 University of London pp 1 21 via British History Online At the Restoration in 1660 the practice of appointing two Secretaries of State which was well established before the Civil War was resumed Apart from the modifications which were made necessary by the occasional existence of a third secretaryship the organisation of the secretariat underwent no fundamental change from that time until the reforms of 1782 which resulted in the emergence of the Home and Foreign departments English domestic affairs remained the responsibility of both Secretaries throughout the period In the field of foreign affairs there was a division into a Northern and a Southern Department each of which was the responsibility of one Secretary The distinction between the two departments emerged only gradually It was not until after 1689 that their names passed into general currency Nevertheless the division of foreign business itself can in its broad outlines be detected in the early years of the reign of Charles II a b c ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE KING AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 15TH FEBRUARY 2023 PDF Privy Council Meetings The Privy Council Office 8 10 Torrance David 19 June 2019 Introduction to devolution in the UK House of Commons Library p 12 Retrieved 8 February 2021 a b Defence Transfer of Functions Act 1964 Northern Ireland Temporary Provisions Act 1972 The Secretary of State for Transport Order 1976 The Transfer of Functions Transport Local Government and the Regions Order 2002 The Secretaries of State for Transport Local Government and the Regions and for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Order 2001 The Secretary of State for Education Order 2010 The Secretaries of State for Education and Skills and for Work and Pensions Order 2002 The Secretary of State for Justice Order 2007 a b The Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Housing Communities and Local Government and Transfer of Functions Commonhold Land Order 2018 a b The Transfer of Functions Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs Order 2020 The Transfer of Functions Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities Order 2021 The Secretaries of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy for International Trade and for Exiting the European Union and the Transfer of Functions Education and Skills Order 2016 Duffy Nick 1 February 2020 Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay exits cabinet as Boris Johnson shutters department inews co uk Retrieved 31 March 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Secretary of State United Kingdom amp oldid 1177407380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
