Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids United Kingdom Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Incumbent Catherine West since 9 July 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Reports to	Foreign Secretary
Nominator	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Appointer	The King (on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	1943
First holder	Richard Law

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific is an important job in the United Kingdom government. This person works in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which is like the country's main office for dealing with other countries. Their main role is to help manage the UK's relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region. This region includes many countries in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

This job has changed names over the years. For example, from 2010 to 2020, a similar role was called the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas. The current title, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific, shows how important this specific part of the world is to the UK.

What Does This Minister Do?
A Look at the History of the Role
See also
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See also

What Does This Minister Do?

The Minister for Indo-Pacific has many important tasks. They help the UK government work with countries in a huge area called the Indo-Pacific. This region includes:

Countries like China and those in Northeast Asia.
Nations in Southeast Asia.
Australia, New Zealand, and the many islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Countries around the Indian Ocean.

They also focus on:

Making sure the UK's economy is safe, which includes rules about what can be sent out of the country.
Using sanctions, which are special rules to encourage other countries to follow international laws.
Understanding how different countries' economies work and how to build good relationships through trade and business.
Looking at new technologies and how they affect international relations.

A Look at the History of the Role

The job of a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was first created in 1943. Over the years, this role has changed its focus and its name many times to match the UK's changing international priorities.

For example, a similar role was known as the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for a long time. Later, it was called the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas from 2010 to 2020.

Today, the role is called the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific. This shows how important the countries in the Indo-Pacific region are to the United Kingdom. The current person holding this position is Catherine West, who started on July 9, 2024.