Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
The Royal Arms used by the UK Government
Style	The Right Honourable
Appointer	Prime Minister
Inaugural holder	Leo Amery
Formation	11 June 1925
Final holder	The Viscount Addison
Abolished	7 July 1947
Deputy	Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

The Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was an important government job in the UK Government. This person was in charge of how Britain worked with its "Dominions."

Dominions were countries that were once part of the British Empire but had become self-governing. They were like independent nations but still had ties to Britain. These included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, and the Irish Free State. The Secretary also handled relations with Southern Rhodesia, which was a self-governing Crown colony.

When this job was first created in 1925, the same person also held the role of Secretary of State for the Colonies. This continued until June 1930. A few times later, the two jobs were briefly held by the same person again.

The Secretary of State was helped by an Under-Secretary. In 1947, the name of the job changed to the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations.

Secretaries of Dominion Affairs: 1925–1947

This table shows the people who held the job of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. It also shows when they served and which political party they belonged to.

Conservative           Labour           National Labour
Photo		Name	Years in Office		Political Party	Prime Minister		Foreign Secretary
		Leo Amery (also Colonies Secretary)	11 June 1925	4 June 1929	Conservative		Baldwin	Chamberlain
		The Lord Passfield (also Colonies Secretary)	7 June 1929	5 June 1930	Labour		MacDonald	Henderson
		James Henry Thomas (also Colonies Secretary, Aug.–Nov. 1931)	5 June 1930	22 November 1935	Labour
					National Labour			Reading Simon
		Malcolm MacDonald	22 November 1935	16 May 1938	National Labour		Baldwin	Hoare Eden
							Chamberlain
		Lord Stanley	16 May 1938	16 October 1938†	Conservative			Halifax
		Malcolm MacDonald (also Colonies Secretary)	31 October 1938	29 January 1939	National Labour
		Sir Thomas Inskip	29 January 1939	3 September 1939	Conservative
		Anthony Eden	3 September 1939	14 May 1940	Conservative
		The Viscount Caldecote	14 May 1940	3 October 1940	Conservative		Churchill
		Viscount Cranborne	3 October 1940	19 February 1942	Conservative			Eden
		Clement Attlee	19 February 1942	24 September 1943	Labour
		Viscount Cranborne	24 September 1943	26 July 1945	Conservative
		The Viscount Addison	3 August 1945	7 July 1947	Labour		Attlee	Bevin

On July 7, 1947, The Viscount Addison took on the new role of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. This new job continued the work of managing relationships with the former Dominions.