Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United Kingdom Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent The Baroness Chapman of Darlington since 18 July 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Style	Minister
Nominator	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Appointer	The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean is an important job in the British government. This person works in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This office helps the UK work with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This role has changed names and responsibilities over the years. For example, it used to cover the Middle East and North Africa. Later, it included North America and even sanctions policy. The current name, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean, shows its main focus today.

What the Minister Does

The minister in this role has many important tasks. They help manage the UK's relationships with other countries. Here are some of their main responsibilities:

Working with Americas and Caribbean Countries

• This minister focuses on building strong relationships with countries in North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean islands. They work on trade, culture, and other shared interests.

Looking After Overseas Territories

• The minister helps manage the UK's Overseas Territories. These are places like the Falkland Islands that are part of the UK but are not in Great Britain. The minister makes sure these territories are well-supported.

Helping British Citizens Abroad

• The minister is in charge of consular policy. This means they help British citizens who are traveling or living in other countries. They make sure people get help if they lose their passport or need assistance in an emergency.

Role in Parliament

• This minister also works in the UK Parliament. They answer questions from other politicians and help create new laws. They represent the government's views on foreign policy.

Handling Devolution Matters

• Devolution means that some parts of the UK, like Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, have their own governments. The minister helps make sure that foreign policy decisions work well with these devolved governments.

Managing Communications

• The minister helps share information about the UK's foreign policy. This includes talking to the media and explaining the government's actions to the public.

Supporting Key Organizations

• The minister works with organizations like Wilton Park and the British Council. Wilton Park hosts international meetings, and the British Council promotes UK culture and education worldwide.

Overseeing Department Operations

• They also help manage the daily workings of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This includes making sure the department runs smoothly and efficiently.

Legal Advice and Policy

• The minister also deals with legal matters related to foreign policy. They ensure that the UK's actions on the world stage follow international laws.

Who Has Held This Role?

Many different people have held this important government job. The table below shows some of the ministers who have served in this role, or similar roles, over the years. You can see their names, when they served, and their political party.

Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party	P.M.		F.Sec.
	Alistair Burt		13 May 2010	7 October 2013	Conservative		Cameron	Hague
	Hugh Robertson		7 October 2013	14 July 2014
	Tobias Ellwood		15 July 2014	13 June 2017				Hammond
							May	Johnson
	Alistair Burt		13 June 2017	25 March 2019
								Hunt
Minister of State for International Development and the Middle East
	Andrew Murrison		9 May 2019	13 February 2020	Conservative		Johnson	Raab
Minister of State for Middle East, North Africa and North America
	James Cleverly		13 February 2020	8 February 2022	Conservative		Johnson	Raab Truss
Role split and merged into Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East and Minister of State for Europe and North America
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for North America, Sanctions and Consular Policy Role formed out of Minister of State for Europe and North America
	Rehman Chishti		8 July 2022	7 September 2022	Conservative		Johnson	Truss
Minister of State for the Americas and the Overseas Territories
	Jesse Norman		7 September 2022	26 October 2022	Conservative		Truss	Cleverly
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Americas and Caribbean
	David Rutley		27 October 2022	14 November 2023	Conservative		Sunak	Cleverly
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories
	David Rutley		14 November 2023	5 July 2024	Conservative		Sunak	Cameron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean
	The Baroness Chapman of Darlington		18 July 2024	Incumbent	Labour		Starmer	Lammy

Related Roles

• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Minister of State for Europe
• Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
• Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
• Minister for Africa