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Oulaa Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary

The difference between Secretary and Minister

Dear forum members ,

I just wanna know in which countries we use " Minister " and in which we use " Secretary "?

Thanx
  

Top answer

I was fairly sure myself, but as far as I can tell the UK Government definition holds true worldwide. qid=20070629112422AAu3vUk confirmed it for me: " The Health Secretary has overall responsibility for all Health issues . Under the Health Secretary is the junior Ministers who do the following (although this may change slightly with the reshuffle): Title: Minister of State for Health Services Responsibilities include: International and EU business, emergency preparedness, cancer services, cardiac services and diabetes, mental health, including the Mental Health Bill, prison healthcare, dentistry, patient and public involvement, renal services, equality and diversity issues.

— ChristopherW

  • I was fairly sure myself, but as far as I can tell the UK Government definition holds true worldwide.
  • qid=20070629112422AAu3vUk confirmed it for me: " The Health Secretary has overall responsibility for all Health issues .
  • Under the Health Secretary is the junior Ministers who do the following (although this may change slightly with the reshuffle): Title: Minister of State for Health Services Responsibilities include: International and EU business, emergency preparedness, cancer services, cardiac services and diabetes, mental health, including the Mental Health Bill, prison healthcare, dentistry, patient and public involvement, renal services, equality and diversity issues.
  • " It goes on, but it highlights the difference - the Secretary is the person responsible for all activities going on underneath him/her in their department, whereas the Minister is given certain roles or tasks to perform.
  • Ultimately, if there is a problem, it is the Secretary who is held responsible, and it is he/she who is usually expected to resign or at the very least publicly apologise.
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2 Answers
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I was fairly sure myself, but as far as I can tell the UK Government definition holds true worldwide. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070629112422AAu3vUkconfirmed it for me:

"The Health Secretary has overall responsibility for all Health issues. Unde
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Hello Oulaa, and welcome to the forums.

I can't tell you about other countries, but in the US we have no ministers, only secreataries. And undersecreataries. And assistant secreataries. And deputy assistant undersecretaries... and don't ask what the differences all are, because I don't know.
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