kids encyclopedia robot

Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The secretary of state for Commonwealth relations was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, 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 Commonwealth Relations Office (CRO).

The position was created in 1947 out of the old positions of secretary of state for dominion affairs and secretary of state for India. 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, which was in turn merged with the secretary of state for foreign affairs in 1968 to create the new position of secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs. The equivalent position today is the secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs.

Secretaries of state for Commonwealth relations, 1947–1966

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
Christopher Addison, 1st Viscount Addison.jpg Christopher Addison
The Viscount Addison
7 July
1947
7 October
1947
Labour Attlee
(I & II)
Philip Noel-Baker 1942.jpg Philip Noel-Baker
MP for Derby
7 October
1947
28 February
1950
Labour
Patrick Gordon Walker.jpg Patrick Gordon Walker
MP for Smethwick
28 February
1950
26 October
1951
Labour
Ismay cropped.jpg General Hastings Ismay
The Lord Ismay
28 October
1951
12 March
1952
Churchill III
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 1947.jpg Robert Gascoyne-Cecil
The Marquess of Salisbury
12 March
1952
24 November
1952
Conservative
Lord Swinton.jpg Philip Cunliffe-Lister
The Viscount Swinton
24 November
1952
7 April
1955
Conservative
Alec Douglas-Home (c1963).jpg Alec Douglas-Home
The Earl of Home
7 April
1955
27 July
1960
Conservative Eden
Macmillan
(I & II)
Duncan Sandys 1975.png Duncan Sandys
MP for Streatham
27 July
1960
16 October
1964
Conservative
Douglas-Home
Arthur Bottomley MP.jpg Arthur Bottomley
MP for Middlesbrough East
18 October
1964
1 August
1966
Labour Wilson
(I & II)
kids search engine
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.