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Minister Without Portfolio





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 ).


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 ).

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 being assigned in charge of a Department of State.



ISRAEL



NETHERLANDS

A Minister without Portfolio in the (Development Cooperation), Rita Verdonk (Integration and Immigration) and Alexander Pechtold (Government Reform and Kingdom Relations ).


NEW ZEALAND

In the First Labour Government from 1935 the Hon. Mark Fagan was a "minister without portfolio".


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 Labour Party Chair 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.



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