Minister without Portfolio

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A Minister without Portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry. The position is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet with decision making authority wherein a minister without portfolio, while he or she may not head any particular office or ministry, does have the right to cast a vote in cabinet decisions. In some countries where the executive branch is not composed of a coalition of parties and, more often, in countries where the cabinet acts in a mostly advisory capacity to the executive branch (such as in the United States, for example), the position (or an equivalent position) of minister without portfolio is uncommon, simply because ministers are relatively unimportant in such systems.

1 Canada
2 Denmark
3 Germany
4 India
5 Ireland
6 Israel
7 Netherlands
8 New Zealand
9 Serbia
10 Taiwan
11 United Kingdom
12 See also
13 External links

[edit] Canada

All but one Canadian cabinet have contained one or several Ministers without Portfolio.

While Minister without Portfolio is seen by some as a mere patronage appointment, it has been a role that numerous political notables have played over time, including recent Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who filled the role in a Pearson cabinet in the 60s; John Turner also "kept a seat warm" in a Pearson cabinet. Notable Conservatives who filled the role include R. B. Bennett, and Arthur Meighen; however, Meighen served this role after he had been prime minister.

The title of Minister without Portfolio has been used off and on; however, in recent times the title has fallen out of favour, and the last minister without portfolio, Gilles Lamontagne, was promoted to postmaster general in 1978. The practice has continued under the guise of ministers of state without responsibilities in the ministers' title, with Jay Hill currently holding such a position (while concurrently serving as Chief Government Whip).

[edit] Denmark

Three "control ministers" served as Ministers without Portfolio during World War I.

After the Liberation of Denmark in May 1945, the first Danish cabinet included four Ministers without Portfolio. Among these were Danish ambassador to the U.S. Henrik Kauffmann who had conducted his own foreign policy throughout the war and refused to follow orders from Copenhagen as long as Denmark remained occupied by a foreign power. Kauffmann served in this capacity from May 12 to November 7, 1945. The three other holders of this title had joined the cabinet a few days before; Aksel Larsen (Communist Party of Denmark), Kr. Juul Christensen (Danish Unity) and Frode Jakobsen (Social Democrats).

Lise Østergaard held a position as Minister without Portfolio with special attention to Foreign Policy Issues in Anker Jørgensen's cabinet from 26 February 1977 to 28 February 1980.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen appointed Bertel Haarder to Minister without Portfolio but effectively Minister for European Affairs. Haarder served in this capacity from 27 November 2001 to 18 February 2005. The reason for appointing a minister without a ministry was due to the Danish European Union Presidency of 2002 and Haarder was considered the most experienced Danish politician on European Affairs.

[edit] Germany

Wilhelm Frick (1936-1943)
Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1939-1945)

Since 1949, a Federal Minister for Special Affairs (Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben) is a member of the Federal Government that does not have charge of a Federal Ministry, although some have simultaneously been Chief of the Federal Chancellor's Office.

[edit] India

Natwar Singh

[edit] Ireland

The Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1939 (Section 4) allows a member of the Government of Ireland to be assigned, but not having charge of a Department of State, such a person is referred to as a "Minister without portfolio" (Irish: "Aire gan ceannas Roinne"). This provision has rarely been used and when so only for short periods before being assigned in charge of a Department of State.

[edit] Israel

Notable politicians who at one time or another served as Minister without Portfolio include:

[edit] Netherlands

A Minister without Portfolio in the Netherlands is a minister that does not head a specific ministry, but assumes the same power and responsibilities as a minister that does. The minister is responsible for a specific part of another minister's policy field. The minister for development cooperation has always been a minister without portfolio. In the second Balkenende cabinet there were three ministers without portfolio: Agnes van Ardenne (Development Cooperation), Rita Verdonk (Integration and Immigration) and Alexander Pechtold (Government Reform and Kingdom Relations).

[edit] New Zealand

In the First Labour Government from 1935 the Hon. Mark Fagan was a "Minister without Portfolio" from 1935 to 1939, as was the Hon. David Wilson from 1939 to 1949. They were appointed to the upper house and made a "minister without portfolio" to add them to the cabinet although neither were elected to a seat in Parliament.

In the Third National Government, Keith Holyoake was made a Minister of State 1975-77 after he had retired as party leader, and in the Fourth National Government Robin Gray was made a Minister of State 1993-96 after he had retired as Speaker (though he was also Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs). Both appointments were sinecures to avoid their return as "backbenchers".

[edit] Serbia

In the current government, Dragan Đilas is a "minister without portfolio" in charge of the National Investment Plan.

[edit] Taiwan

In the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China there are several such ministers, under the title of Commissioners of the Executive Yuan (政務委員)^{[citation needed]}, at one time:

Hu Sheng-cheng
Lin Yi-fu
Lin Sheng-fong
Kuo Yao-chi
Chen Chi-mai
Lin Ferng-ching
Fu Li-yeh

One of these posts is typically reserved for the chairperson of the important Council for Economic Development (經濟建設委員會), who is usually considered a cabinet member but not officially so, and so requires the post to have the actual powers of a cabinet member.

[edit] United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, it is often a Cabinet position, and is sometimes used to get people such as the Chairman of the Conservative Party or the Labour Party Chairman into cabinet meetings (if so they hold the title of "Party Chairman"). The sinecure positions of Lord Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster can also be used for equivalent effect.