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Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations

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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

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

References

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History of English and British government departments with responsibility for foreign affairs and those with responsibility for the colonies, dominions and the Commonwealth
Northern Department
1660–1782
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Southern Department
1660–1768
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Southern Department
1768–1782
SecretariesUndersecretaries
1782: diplomatic responsibilities transferred to new Foreign Office
Colonial Office
1768–1782
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Foreign Office
1782–1968
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Home Office
1782–1794
SecretariesUndersecretaries
War Office
1794–1801
SecretariesUndersecretaries
War and Colonial Office
1801–1854
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Colonial Office
1854–1925
SecretariesUndersecretaries
India Office
1858–1937
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Colonial Office
1925–1966
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Dominions Office
1925–1947
SecretariesUndersecretaries
India Office and Burma Office
1937–1947
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Commonwealth Relations Office
1947–1966
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Commonwealth Office
1966–1968
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1968–2020
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Since 2020
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries