Parliamentary secretary: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Officer of Cabinet for Parliament duties}}
{{Distinguish|Parliamentary assistant}}A '''parliamentary secretary''' is a member of the [[Parliament]] in the [[Westminster system]] who assists a more senior [[political minister|minister]] with their duties. In several countries the position has been re-designated as '''assistant minister'''.
{{Distinguish|Parliamentary assistant|Private secretary|Permanent secretary}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Distinguish|Parliamentary assistant}}A '''parliamentary secretary''' is a member[[Member of the [[Parliament]] in the [[Westminster system]] who assists a more senior [[political minister|minister]] with their duties. In several countries, the position has been re-designated as '''assistant minister'''.
 
In the parliamentary systems of several [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries, such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[India]] and [[IndiaSingapore]], it is customary for the [[prime minister]] to appoint parliamentary secretaries from their [[political party]] in [[parliament]] to assist [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] ministers with their work. The role of parliamentary secretaries has variedvaries under different prime ministers. Originally, theThe post washas often usedserved as a training ground for future ministers.
 
== In the United Kingdom ==
In the [[United Kingdom]], Parliamentary Secretary (in full, usually [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] in those departments headed by a Secretary of State) is the third level of government [[Political minister|minister]], below [[Minister of State]] and [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]] (or another minister of Secretary of State rank, such as the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]). Not all departments have all three levels of minister.
 
A [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS), on the other hand, is a Member of Parliament who acts as an unpaid assistant to an individual minister, but has no ministerial role, although is expected to support the government at all times.
 
== In the Commonwealth ==
 
=== Australia ===
In Australia, parliamentary secretaries are appointed in the federal government and most state governments. At the federal level, the Australian constitution provides only for the appointment of "ministers of state". Under current practice, ministers of state are divided into three levels: parliamentary secretaries are the third level, after cabinet ministers (ministers who are members of the [[Cabinet of Australia]]) and other ministers. Since 2015, "parliamentary secretaries" have been known as "assistant ministers" instead. However, the ''Ministers of State Act 1952'' providesstill forrefers theto "parliamentary secretaries", as a category of "ministers of state". The [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] is permitted to appoint a member from either house of Parliament to be a parliamentary secretary to a minister. TheAs Actthey alsoare providesministers that,of state for constitutional purposes, parliamentary secretaries are to be appointed as ministers of state, which enables them tomay be paid a salary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ministers in the Senate - Senate Brief No. 14|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/briefs/Ministers_in_the_Senate#parliamentary|publisher=Australian Parliament House|access-date=22 February 2013|author=Department of the Senate|date=February 2013}}</ref> In practice, parliamentary secretaries are the third level of ministerial positions, after cabinet ministers (who are members of the [[Cabinet of Australia]]) and other ministers.
 
According to [[Paul Keating]] in 1993, "the institution of Parliamentary Secretary provides a very inexpensive means not only of giving talented individuals executive experience but providing Ministers with needed support."<ref>{{citation|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=8844|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225080155/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=8844|archive-date=25 February 2014|title=Statement by the Prime Minister|date=24 March 1993|first=Paul|last=Keating|author-link=Paul Keating}}</ref> On 20 September 2015, Prime Minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]] announced that the title 'Parliamentary Secretary' is to be re-designated as 'Assistant Minister'.
 
In the state of [[Queensland]], Parliamentaryparliamentary Secretariessecretaries were re-designated as 'Assistantassistant Ministersministers' following the [[2012 Queensland state election|2012 Queensland election]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Structure|url=http://www.qld.gov.au/about/how-government-works/government-structure/|access-date=28 May 2012}}</ref>
 
===Canada===
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During [[Jean Chrétien]]'s term as [[Prime Minister of Canada]], parliamentary secretaries were set to two-year terms and the post was used as a reward for weary [[backbenchers]]. Their duty was to answer questions and table reports on behalf of ministers when they were unable to be present in the house.
 
Chrétien's successor as Canadian Prime Minister, [[Paul Martin]], when sworn- in in 2003, promised a new role for parliamentary secretaries. They would now be sworn into the [[QueenKing's Privy Council for Canada|privy council]], giving them access to some secret documents, and allowing them to attend [[Canadian Cabinet]] meetings and be assigned specific files by ministers. This replaced the positions of [[Secretary of State (Canada)|Secretaries of State]] which had been employed under Chrétien.
 
===Ceylon===
Under the [[Soulbury Constitution]], junior members of parliament were appointed to serve as parliamentary secretaries. Each cabinet minister would have one parliamentary secretary. In 1972, the [[Sri Lankan Constitution of 1972|republican constitution]] replace the position of parliamentary secretary with that of [[Deputy minister (Sri Lanka)|deputy minister]]. With the [[Ministry of External Affairs and Defence|parliamentary secretary for external affairs and defence]] serving as the de facto parliamentary secretary to the [[Prime Minister of Ceylon]].
 
===Malaysia===
{{main|List of Parliamentary Secretaries of Malaysia}}
 
===Mauritius===
Since the 1968 Independence the constitution of Mauritius allowed for 14 ministers and 5 Parliamentary Secretaries. Initially the role of a Parliamentary Secretary was to assist ministers. The number of such positions rose steadily but their roles have progressively changed. After the 1987 elections the candidates who had missed out on ministerial positions were nominated as Parliamentary Secretaries.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ahmedkhan |first1=Iqbal |title=What do Private Parliamentary Secretaries do and why the system needs a change (30 October 2023) |url=https://lexpress.mu/s/what-do-private-parliamentary-secretaries-do-and-why-the-system-needs-a-change-528352 |publisher=L'Express |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref>
 
=== New Zealand ===
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[[Member of Parliament (New Zealand)|New Zealand]] also has Parliamentary Private Secretaries.
 
=== Singapore ===
{{Expand section|date=May 2021}}
 
== In the= United Kingdom ===
In the [[United Kingdom]], Parliamentary Secretary (in full, usually [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] in those departments headed by a Secretary of State) is the third level of government [[Political minister|minister]], below [[Minister of State]] and [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]] (or another minister of Secretary of State rank, such as the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]). Not all departments have all three levels of minister.
 
A [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS), on the other hand, is a Member of Parliament who acts as an unpaid assistant to an individual minister, but has no ministerial role, although is expected to support the government at all times.
 
== Outside the Commonwealth ==
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=== Germany ===
{{Main|Parliamentary State Secretary}}
A [[Parliamentary State Secretary]] (''{{Lang|de|Parlamentarischer Staatssekretär, PStS}}'') is a member of the [[Bundestag]] given a portfolio to assist a [[Minister (government)|Minister]] with running a [[Ministry (government department)|government ministry]]. The position is roughly analogous to deputy ministers.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Langenbacher|first1=Eric|title=The German Polity|last2=Conradt|first2=David P.|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|edition=11th|location=New York|ppage=272|authorlink1=Eric Langenbacher|authorlink2=David P. Conradt}}</ref>
 
In 2021, there are 36 parliamentary state secretaries in the [[Fourth Merkel cabinet|Merkel IV Cabinet]]. The position was first introduced in 1967 to help younger politicians gain experience for future ministerial roles.<ref>{{cite web|last=|date=|year=|title=Die Finanzierung der Parlamentarischen Staatssekretäre – Die wichtigsten Fakten|url=https://steuerzahler.de/aktion-position/politikfinanzierung/parlamentarischestaatssekretaere/?L=0|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|publisher=|pages=|language=|format=|quote=|periodical={{ill|Bund der Steuerzahler Deutschland|de}}}}</ref>
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* [[Parliamentary assistant]]
*[[Permanent secretary]]
*[[Private Secretarysecretary]]
*[[Undersecretary]]