Secretary of State for Employment facts for kids

The Secretary of State for Employment was an important job in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The Cabinet is a group of senior government ministers led by the Prime Minister. This person was in charge of things like jobs, workplaces, and helping people find work.

In 1995, this role joined with the Secretary of State for Education, creating a new job called the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. This person was then responsible for both education and jobs.

Later, in 2001, the parts of the job dealing with employment moved again. They joined with the Secretary of State for Social Security to form the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. This new role focuses on helping people with work and financial support.

Ministers of Labour (1916–1940)

Before the "Secretary of State for Employment" job existed, there was a similar role called the Minister of Labour. This minister was responsible for workers' rights, working conditions, and helping people find jobs. Here are the people who held this position:

Name		Portrait	Time in Office		Political Party	Prime Minister
	John Hodge		10 December 1916	17 August 1917	Labour		David Lloyd George (Coalition)
	George Henry Roberts		17 August 1917	10 January 1919	Labour
	Sir Robert Horne		10 January 1919	19 March 1920	Unionist
	Thomas James Macnamara		19 March 1920	19 October 1922	Liberal
	Sir Anderson Montague-Barlow		31 October 1922	22 January 1924	Conservative		Bonar Law
							Stanley Baldwin
	Tom Shaw		22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Labour		Ramsay MacDonald
	Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, Bt		6 November 1924	4 June 1929	Conservative		Stanley Baldwin
	Margaret Bondfield		7 June 1929	24 August 1931 (lost seat 1931)	Labour		Ramsay MacDonald
	Sir Henry Betterton, Bt		25 August 1931	29 June 1934	Conservative		Ramsay MacDonald (1st & 2nd National Min.)
	Oliver Stanley		29 June 1934	7 June 1935	Conservative
	Ernest Brown		7 June 1935	13 May 1940	Liberal National		Stanley Baldwin (3rd National Min.)
							Neville Chamberlain (4th Nat.Min.; War Coalition)

Ministers of Labour and National Service (1940–1959)

During and after World War II, the role of the Minister of Labour was expanded to include "National Service." This meant they also managed things like conscription (when people are required to join the armed forces) and making sure enough people were working in important industries for the war effort.

Name		Portrait	Time in Office		Political Party	Prime Minister
	Ernest Bevin		13 May 1940	23 May 1945	Labour		Winston Churchill (War Coalition)
	R. A. Butler		25 May 1945	26 July 1945	Conservative		Winston Churchill (Caretaker Min.)
	George Isaacs		3 August 1945	17 January 1951	Labour		Clement Attlee
	Aneurin Bevan		17 January 1951	23 April 1951 (resigned)	Labour
	Alfred Robens		24 April 1951	26 October 1951	Labour
	Walter Monckton		28 October 1951	20 December 1955	Conservative		Sir Winston Churchill
							Sir Anthony Eden
	Iain Macleod		20 December 1955	14 October 1959	Conservative
							Harold Macmillan
	Edward Heath		14 October 1959	12 November 1959	Conservative

Ministers of Labour (1959–1968)

After 1959, the "National Service" part of the job was removed, and the role went back to being simply the Minister of Labour.

Secretaries of State for Employment and Productivity (1968–1970)

In 1968, the job title changed again to Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity. This meant the minister was also focused on making sure industries were working efficiently and producing goods well.

Name		Portrait	Time in Office		Political Party	Prime Minister
	Barbara Castle		6 April 1968	19 June 1970	Labour		Harold Wilson

Secretaries of State for Employment (1970–1995)

From 1970, the role became known as the Secretary of State for Employment, focusing mainly on jobs and the workforce.

Secretaries of State for Education and Employment (1995–2001)

In 1995, the role of Secretary of State for Employment combined with the Secretary of State for Education. This new position oversaw both the country's education system and employment policies.

The job of Secretary of State for Education and Employment was changed in 2001. The employment parts of the role were moved to join the Department of Social Security. This created a new government department called the Department for Work and Pensions.