High government ranks
In several national traditions, the title "Minister of State" is reserved for government members ofMinor government ranks
In various nations, especially in former members of the British Empire, "Minister of State" is a junior ministerial rank, often subordinated to a Cabinet (government)#Westminster cabinets, cabinet member. *Government of Canada, Canada: A Minister of State is senior to a Secretary of State (Canada), Secretary of State but junior to a Minister of the Crown (ordinary portfolio minister). *Government of Germany, Germany: Minister of State (''Staatsminister'' in German) is the title given to a parliamentary state secretary (a member of parliament serving as a political aide to a cabinet minister) serving in the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), Foreign Office or the Chancellor of Germany, Chancellor's Office. Accordingly, Minister of State ranks between a Secretary of state#Germany, State Secretary and a Federal Minister. It is also used as the title of cabinet ministers of certain German states of Germany, states. Historically, the same title was used (sometimes alternating with other styles), notably as head of government in certain of the many constituent monarchies of pre-reunion Germany, e.g. in Grand Duchy of Hesse, Hesse-Darmstadt, Electorate of Hesse, Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), Principality of Lippe, Lippe, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, in Kingdom of Hanover, Hannover, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Reuss-Schleiz-Gera and Principality of Reuss-Greiz, Kingdom of Saxony, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. *Government of India, India: A Council of Ministers of the Republic of India#Ministers of State, Minister of State is a junior minister in the Council of Ministers of the Republic of India, Council of Ministers in the Government of India, Union Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have Union Council of Ministers#Ministers of State (Independent Charge), independent charge of a ministry. The Constitution of India restricts the number of ministers of state in the federal government. A Minister of State with independent charge is a minister without an overseeing Cabinet Minister in the State or Union Government of India. He himself is in charge of his ministry, unlike Minister of State who is also a Minister but assists a cabinet minister. Moreover, such ministers can take part in cabinet meetings on important issues unlike Ministers of state who does not take any part in any cabinet meetings. *Government of Ireland, Ireland: A Minister of State is junior to a Minister of a ''Department of State'' (portfolio minister) and of similar standing to a Parliamentary Secretary. *Government of Nigeria, Nigeria: A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the Federal Executive Council (Nigeria), Nigerian Cabinet and is normally the principal deputy or one of the deputies to the Minister in a Federal Ministry. The Minister of State may in some cases be the head of a special department in the President's Office. By law, both senior Ministers and Ministers of State are regarded as Ministers of the Government of the Federation. *Government of Pakistan, Pakistan: Like in other former British colonies, a Minister of State in Pakistan is a junior Minister in the national Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry. *Government of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka: A State minister (Sri Lanka), Minister of State (or State Minister) is a Non-cabinet minister (Sri Lanka), non-cabinet minister of the executive branch of the Government of Sri Lanka, as such is junior to a Cabinet Minister but senior to a Deputy Minister. *Government of Singapore, Singapore: Ministers of State and Senior Ministers of State are members of the executive branch of the Government of Singapore, senior in rank to Parliamentary Secretaries and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries, but junior to full Cabinet Ministers. *Government of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom: A Minister of State is a member of His Majesty's Government, junior only to a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), Secretary of State but senior to a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Parliamentary Private Secretary, Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs). Ministers of State are responsible to their Secretaries of State. The role in this context has existed only since 1945 (see above for exception in the case of Beaverbrook) – previously, each parliamentary under-secretary was directly beneath a secretary of state. There can be more than one Minister of State at any government Department. Ministers of State may have departmental PPSs, or a PPS might be assigned to them. Of a similar standing to Ministers of State are positions such as the Solicitor General for England and Wales, Solicitor General, the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, Treasurer of the Household, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Paymaster General, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Economic Secretary to the Treasury. Ministers of State are bound by the Ministerial Code (United Kingdom), Ministerial Code.Subnational office
In the republic of Burma, the title was used for the Chief ministers of the following autonomous states, from 1947/48 till the abolition of that autonomy in 1962: Arakan State (Rakhine), Chin State, Kayin State (Kayin), Kayah State (Karenni), Kachin State and Shan StateOther uses
Australia
*Government of Australia, Australia: Section 64 of the Constitution of Australia, Commonwealth constitution empowers the Governor-General of Australia, Governor-General to appoint "the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth [of Australia]" as "officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor‑General in Council may establish". The ''Ministers of State Act 1952'' defines the number of ministers only distinguishes between ministers and parliamentary secretary, parliamentary secretaries (now known as assistant ministers). However, in practice ministers of state are divided into the Cabinet of Australia, Cabinet and the outer ministry. The only ministerial portfolio to have the term "minister of state" in the title is Special Minister of State.Netherlands and Belgium
In the Netherlands (''Minister van Staat'' in Dutch) and Belgium (also ''Ministre d'État'' in French), Ministers of State is a title of honour awarded formally by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the government. It is given on a personal basis, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is granted for exceptional merits, generally to senior politicians at the end of their party career. Ministers of state are often former cabinet members or party leaders. Ministers of State advise the Sovereign in delicate situations, with moral authority but without formal competence. In Belgium they are entitled to a seat, alongside the members of the government in power, in the Crown Council of Belgium, Crown Council; to date the Crown Council has been convened on only five occasions, the first being in 1870 for the Franco-Prussian War, and the latest in 1960 in connection with the independence of the Belgian Congo. Apart from that, the only privileges of being a "minister of state" are precedence according to protocol on state occasions and a ministerial car registration number. De facto, appointments tend to respect the almost obsessional balances between the Flemish and French-speaking communities as well as between the 'ministeriable' political families: mainly Christian-democrats, Socialists, Liberals, also (moderate) Nationalists, occasionally an Ecologist). Other former careers include those of Étienne Davignon (European Commissioner) and Luc Coene (prime-ministerial Kabinetschef, roughly Chief of staff). In January 2006 the number of ministers of state reached 51 with Johan Vande Lanotte, shortly after he laid down his portfolio and title of Vice-Prime Minister to head the Flemish Socialistische Partij Anders, Socialist SP.A party. After formateur Yves Leterme returned his commission in August 2007, King Albert II consulted 13 Ministers of State individually, without convening the crown council as such. In both countries, junior ministers are called State Secretary (Netherlands), State Secretary (''staatssecretaris'' or ''secrétaire d'état''), similarly to France. Some State Secretaries may, in specific circumstances, style themselves as Minister (not Minister of State) when visiting a foreign country.New Zealand
* To bestow a sinecure — the role has been given to senior figures who did not occupy positions of leadership, but who were held in high esteem or who were wanted in Cabinet. For example, a former Prime Minister might be appointed Minister of State as an "wikt:statesman, elder statesman" — this was the purpose for which New Zealand Prime Minister Rob Muldoon originally created the position in 1975. * To create a sort of junior minister — using this office, politicians can be appointed to associate roles without having a substantive ministerial role of their own. There is no formal rank of "assistant minister" or "deputy minister" in New Zealand, but if someone is a full minister, they can be assigned to an associate role helping a different full minister. Someone appointed Minister of State is technically a full minister and can thus be assigned associate roles, thereby creating a type of minister whose only effective authority is as an associate minister. The first Minister of State in New Zealand was Keith Holyoake, a former Prime Minister. Other prominent people to have held the office include Jim Bolger and Robin Gray (New Zealand politician), Robin Gray (a former Prime Minister and a former Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Speaker, respectively). Examples of people who held the office simply in order that they might be appointed as associate ministers include Mita Ririnui, Damien O'Connor, and Dover Samuels.Ancien Régime France
In France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration in France, Bourbon Restoration, the title "Ministre d'État" had a specific designation. The title first appeared under Louis XIII of France, Louis XIII. The "ministres d'État", appointed by Letters patent, lettres patentes, attended meetings of the Conseil du Roi (which would later become the Conseil d'État (France), Conseil d'État). From 1661 on — at the start of Louis XIV of France, Louis XIV's "personal reign" — the king called whomever he wished to his Council; invitations were only good for one session and needed to be renewed as long as the individual retained the king's confidence. However, having attended one session of the Council gave the person the right to be called "ministre d'État" for life, and also gave him the right to an annual life pension of roughly 20,000 livre tournois, livres. There were few "ministres d'État" at Council meetings (between three or four during the reign of Louis XIV); they also attended the "Conseil des Dépêches" (the "Council of Messages", concerning notices and administrative reports from the provinces). Suppressed during the French Revolution, the title "ministre d'État" reappeared during the Bourbon Restoration in France, Bourbon Restoration as essentially an honorary title given (not systematically) to Ministers after their demission or their departure from office; refusal on behalf of the King to award this title to a demissioned Minister was seen as an affront.British diplomacy
From 28 January 1944, the last two British Resident Minister, Ministers Resident in the Middle East, concerned with former British protectorate Egypt, were styled Ministers of State in the Middle East.See also
*List of Jamaican Ministers of State *Minister of State (Turkey) * State Minister (Georgia)References
External links