The Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy was a senior ministerial appointment of the

British Government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...

established in April 1964. The office holder was the ministerial head of the Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence, and reported to the

Secretary of State for Defence The secretary of state for defence, also referred to as the defence secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Ministry of Defence. The incumbent is a membe ...

. This office replaced the former cabinet position of

First Lord of the Admiralty The First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible for the di ...

, though this office holder was not a member of the cabinet. On 6 January 1967 this post was abolished and replaced by the

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

History

On 25 April 1964, the functions of the

Department of Admiralty The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...

was absorbed into an enlarged Ministry of Defence where it was renamed the Navy Department. The office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, the cabinet minister responsible for the admiralty was abolished. The final post holder was

George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe George Patrick John Rushworth Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe, Baron Jellicoe of Southampton, (4 April 1918 – 22 February 2007), was a British politician, diplomat and businessman. Lord Jellicoe was the only son but sixth and youngest chil ...

, he became the first incumbent of the new office of Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy and held that position until October 1964. At the same time the executive Board of Admiralty was abolished and replaced by a new

Admiralty Board The Admiralty Board is the body established under the Defence Council of the United Kingdom for the administration of the Naval Service of the United Kingdom. It meets formally only once a year, and the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy is ...

, whilst an additional subcommittee of the admiralty board was created called the

Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...

. The Minister of State for the Royal Navy was a member of both boards. In January 1967 this office was abolished and renamed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy.

Office Holders

# The Rt. Hon.

, 25 April 1964 – 19 October 1964. # The Rt. Hon. Sir

Christopher Mayhew Christopher Paget Mayhew, Baron Mayhew (12 June 1915 – 7 January 1997) was a British politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 to 1950 and from 1951 to 1974, when he left the Labour Party to join the Liberals. In 1981 ...

, 19 October 1964 – 19 February 1966. # The Rt. Hon. Sir J. P. William Mallalieu, 19 February 1966 – 6 January 1967.

References

{{Navy Department (Ministry of Defence), state=collapsed 1964 establishments in the United Kingdom 1967 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Navy Department Royal Navy appointments Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom