The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a British Cabinet minister responsible for dealing with the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

's relations with members of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the ...

(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 The position of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British cabinet-level position created in 1925 responsible for British relations with the Dominions – Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, and the Irish Free S ...

and

Secretary of State for India His (or Her) Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India, known for short as the India Secretary or the Indian Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister and the political head of the India Office responsible for the governance of th ...

. In 1966, the position was merged with that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to form that of

Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs was a British Cabinet minister 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 Common ...

, which was in turn merged with the

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as ...

in 1968 to create the new position of

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as ...

, the equivalent position today being the

Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as ...

Secretaries of State for Commonwealth Relations, 1947–1966

References

Foreign and Commonwealth Office website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Secretary Of State for Commonwealth Relations Commonwealth Relations History of the Commonwealth of Nations Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom 1947 establishments in the United Kingdom 1966 disestablishments in the United Kingdom