A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister
with their duties.
In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the
United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to appoint
parliamentary secretaries (in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario,
"parliamentary assistants") from their political party in parliament to assist cabinet ministers with their work. The role of
parliamentary secretaries has varied under different prime ministers. Originally, the post was used as a training ground for
future ministers.
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 minister, below Minister of State and 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 they are
expected to support the government at all times.
Canada
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
2003, promised a new role for parliamentary secretaries. They would now be sworn into the
privy council giving them access to some secret documents, be allowed
to attend Canadian Cabinet meetings and be assigned specific files by ministers. This
replaced the positions of Secretaries of State which had been in practice
under Chrétien.
Republic of Ireland
In the Irish Free State, the Ministers and Secretaries Act of 1924 created the post of Parliamentary Secretary,
originally limited to seven holders. In 1978, the office was superseded in the Republic of
Ireland by the office of Minister of State.
See also:
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