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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.
Canada In the Canadian government, there have been a number of Ministers without Portfolio in all except the First Ministry (see: James Cox Aikins). Until September 26, 1926, the term Minister without Portfolio was used. Incumbents were sworn as privy councillors and attended cabinet meetings on the invitation of the Prime Minister. However, after 1926 they were appointed as Members of the Administration and Ministers without Portfolio. Until 1968 they took an oath of office as Members of the Administration. At that time the traditional title of Minister without Portfolio was reintroduced. The title has been used throughout the guide until June 11, 1971 when the Government Organization Act was given royal assent. The act provided for the appointment of ministers of state who may be assigned to assist any minister having responsibility for a department or portion of the public service. 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 Rob Nicholson currently holding such a position (while concurrently serving as house leader). Denmark Three "control ministers" served as Ministers without Portfolio during World War I. After the Second World War the Danish ambassador to the US Henrik Kauffmann , was apointed Minister without Portfolio following the Liberation of Denmark in May 1945. Kauffmann joined the Cabinet of National Unity and served in this capacity from May 12 to November 7 1945. 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. Germany 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. India 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 been assigned in charge of a Department of State. 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 ministers policy field. The minister for international development has always been a minister without portfolio. In the second Balkenende cabinet there are three ministers without portfolio: Agnes van Ardenne (Development Cooperation), Rita Verdonk (Integration and Immigration) and Alexander Pechtold (Government Reform and Kingdom Relations). Taiwan In the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China there are several such ministers (政務委員) at one time: 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. 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 Chair of the Labour Party into cabinet meetings (if so they hold the title of "Party Chair"). The sinecure positions of Lord Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster can also be used for equivalent effect. See also | ||||||||
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