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A cabinet secretary is usually a senior official (typically a civil servant) who provides services and advice to a cabinet of ministers as part of the Cabinet Office. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire
civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
. The title of cabinet secretary may also be used as an alternative term for a politically appointed cabinet minister, derived from secretary of state—the formal title for ministers. This naming convention is used in Japan, Kenya, Scotland and the United States.


Parliamentary systems


Australia

In Australia the equivalent position is the
Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, although both the department and its secretary have wider responsibilities than in most other governments derived from the
Westminster System The Westminster system, or Westminster model, is a type of parliamentary system, parliamentary government that incorporates a series of Parliamentary procedure, procedures for operating a legislature, first developed in England. Key aspects of ...
. Prime Minister
Scott Morrison Scott John Morrison (born 13 May 1968) is an Australian former politician who served as the 30th prime minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party and was ...
established a position entitled Cabinet Secretary in August 2019 within the Prime Minister's Office responsible for cabinet operations and appointed a former senior political adviser and intelligence official Andrew Shearer to the role. The Cabinet Secretary is also a title conferred on an Australian minister responsible for assisting the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
to manage the day-to-day procedural and operational matters of the Cabinet and any Cabinet committees. As per all other ministers in the
Westminster system The Westminster system, or Westminster model, is a type of parliamentary system, parliamentary government that incorporates a series of Parliamentary procedure, procedures for operating a legislature, first developed in England. Key aspects of ...
, the Cabinet Secretary is a sitting member of
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, chosen by the Prime Minister and officially appointed by the Governor-General. The Cabinet Secretary is a portfolio minister of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has existed at various stages since 2007. Australia's states and territories have equivalent officials *
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
: Secretary of the Cabinet Office * Victoria: Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet *
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
: Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet *
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
: Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet *
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
: Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet *
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
: Secretary and Head of the State Service *
Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938, is an internal States and territories of Australia, territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, an ...
: Director General of the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate *
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
: Cabinet Secretary


Canada

In Canada the equivalent position is the Clerk of the Privy Council, who functions as Deputy Minister to the prime minister of Canada and heads the Privy Council Office. Canada's provinces and territories also have equivalent officials as the head of their respective public services, as in the list below: *
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
: Deputy Minister of Executive Council and Secretary to the Cabinet *
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
: Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary *
Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
: Clerk of the Executive Council *
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
: Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to Cabinet *
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
: Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to the Cabinet *
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
: the head of the civil service is the Clerk of the Executive Council, while the Secretary to the Cabinet is a separate position. *
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
: Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council *
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
: the head of the civil service is the Clerk of the Executive Council, while the Premier's Principal Secretary advises the Premier and Cabinet on matters of policy and strategy *
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
: ''Secrétaire général du Conseil exécutif'' (Secretary General of the Executive Council) *
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
: Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary *
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
: Secretary to the Cabinet *
Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...
: Secretary to Cabinet *
Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...
: Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Minister of the Executive Council Office


India

The Cabinet Secretariat is under the direct charge of the
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
. The administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the
ex-officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term ''List of Latin phrases (E)#ex officio, ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the off ...
Chairman of the Civil Services Board, and thus the head of the Indian Administrative Service. As a matter of convention the senior most civil servant is appointed as a Cabinet Secretary. He or she belongs to the Indian Administrative Service. The incumbent generally has a tenure of two to three years. Though there is no fixed tenure. His or her tenure however, can be extended. The Cabinet Secretary is the head of all the civil services under the constitution which is the All India Civil Services and the Central Civil Services (Grade A and Grade B). His status in the Indian order of precedence is equivalent to that of the
Attorney General of India The Attorney General for India is the chief legal advisor of the Government of India. The Attorney General is appointed by the President of India at the instance of the Union Cabinet under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and hold office du ...
and just above chiefs of staff or equivalent in the armed services holding the rank of full general. The functions of the Cabinet Secretary in India are: # Provide assistance to the Council of Ministers # Act as advisor and conscience keeper of the civil services # Handle senior appointments # Prepare the agenda of the Cabinet # Attend the meetings of the Cabinet # Ensure that the Cabinet decisions are implemented # Advise the Prime Minister # Act as the Chairman of the Committee of Secretaries on Administration # Act as the Chairman of the Chief Secretaries Committee # Provide an element of continuity and stability to administration during crises The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments of the Government by ensuring adherence to these rules. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/ad hoc Committees of Secretaries. Through this mechanism new policy initiatives are also promoted. The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that the president of India, the vice-president and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Departments by means of a monthly summary of their activities. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of the various Ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat. The Cabinet Secretary is arguably India's most powerful bureaucrat.


Ireland

In Ireland the position of Cabinet Secretary is officially titled Secretary-General to the Government (previously titled ''Secretary to the Government''), and is concurrently
Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...
of the Department of the Taoiseach, somewhat analogous to the
Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister and Cabinet ...
in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. This department provides the secretariat to the Cabinet and co-ordinates the Government Press Office. It also has some policy functions with regard to key areas such as
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
,
economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
policy, and public service modernisation. The role is modeled on, and is broadly similar to, the UK equivalent, though in recent times has become more constrained by the seven-year time limit placed on Secretaries General in the mid-1990s following the introduction of the Strategic Management Initiative.


Israel

In Israel, the Cabinet Secretary heads an office responsible for preparing the agenda of cabinet meetings and facilitating communication between ministers. The secretariat is also responsible for presenting government-initiated bills to the Knesset and for conducting certain press briefings. The secretary is appointed on the recommendation of the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, with the current secretary being Yossi Fuchs.


Japan

In Japan the office of Chief cabinet secretary has been made into a ministerial post, being held by a member of the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
. This is unusual, as most countries give the position to a civil servant. The chief cabinet secretary performs much the same role as other cabinet secretaries; however, he or she is responsible for overseeing the administrative operations of Cabinet, and presiding over the Cabinet Secretariat. The post has the added function of being the government's chief press secretary.


New Zealand

In New Zealand the Cabinet Secretary is part of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which provides assistance, coordination, and advice. The Cabinet Secretary also serves as Clerk of the Executive Council, the formal body on which Cabinet rests. The office of Cabinet Secretary is somewhat anomalous, by New Zealand standards, in that it is partly autonomous from the department to which it belongs. The role does not, however, have the broad powers given to its British equivalent – for example, authority over the civil service is held by the State Services Commissioner, a separate official.


Pakistan

In Pakistan the Cabinet Secretary is a senior civil servant who is responsible for running the Cabinet Division.


United Kingdom

In the UK Government the Cabinet Secretary is the most senior civil servant in the country, providing policy advice to the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
and Cabinet. The role is currently occupied by Sir Chris Wormald, appointed in December 2024 following the resignation of Simon Case. From 1981 to 2011, the position of Cabinet Secretary had been combined with the roles of Head of the Home Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary. The first means that the Cabinet Secretary is responsible for all the civil servants of the various departments within government (except the
Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * United ...
), chairing the Permanent Secretaries Management Group (PSMG) which is the principal governing body of the civil service. The second means that the Cabinet Secretary is responsible for leading the government department that provides administrative support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The post is appointed by the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
with the advice of the out-going Cabinet Secretary and the First Civil Service Commissioner. With the retirement of Gus O'Donnell, who served from 2005 until the end of 2011, the three roles hitherto performed by the Cabinet Secretary were split: the Cabinet Secretary would provide policy advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet; the Head of the Home Civil Service would provide leadership for the whole Civil Service; and the Permanent Secretary would oversee the Cabinet Office. O'Donnell was succeeded by Jeremy Heywood as Cabinet Secretary, Bob Kerslake as Head of the Home Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government and Ian Watmore as lastly, Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary. The responsibilities of the job vary from time to time and depend very much on the personal qualities of both the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
and Cabinet Secretary of the day. In most cases the true influence of the Cabinet Secretary extends far beyond administrative matters, and reaches to the very heart of the decision-making process. For instance, the Cabinet Secretary is responsible for administering the Ministerial Code which governs the conduct of ministers (also known as '' the Rule Book'' and formerly ''Questions of Procedure for Ministers''). In this duty the Cabinet Secretary may be asked to investigate leaks within government, and enforce Cabinet discipline. This gives the unelected Cabinet Secretary some authority over elected ministers (a situation satirised in the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
'' Yes, Prime Minister''). The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for overseeing the intelligence services and their relationship to the government, though since 2002 this responsibility has been delegated to a full-time role (initially as Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, now the Head of Intelligence, Security and Resilience working to the National Security Adviser), with the Cabinet Secretary focussing on civil service reforms to help deliver the government's policy programme.


Devolved governments

The term cabinet secretary is currently also used to refer to the senior cabinet members of the Scottish and Welsh governments. Following the 2007 General Election of the devolved
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
, the new First Minister Alex Salmond restyled the Scottish Executive to be branded as the
Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
, whilst senior ministers were re-titled from ministers to cabinet secretaries. Similarly, junior ministers were re-titled from deputy ministers to minister. The Welsh Government followed suit in 2016 under first minister Carwyn Jones, in order to reflect the government's expansion of powers in recent years. It reverted back to the original names from 2018 to 2024 under Mark Drakeford, before returning to the cabinet secretary titles under Vaughan Gething.


Presidential systems


China

The Secretary-General of the State Council is an executive position within the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It ranks below the Premier and above the Ministers of various ministries and departments. The current secretary general is State Councilor Xiao Jie. The Secretary-General is responsible for the day-to-day work of the State Council and is in charge of the State Council General Office.


Hong Kong, China

In Hong Kong there is a politically appointed Director of the Chief Executive's Office, as well as a Permanent Secretary who is a civil servant. The position of Director was first established in 2002 as part of the ' Principal Officials Accountability System', and it was not clear whether it was a politically appointed or a civil service position. Nevertheless, its salary level was tied to that of permanent secretaries (Point 8 of the Directorate Payscale) instead of that of politically appointed secretaries. The first office holder Lam Woon Kwong was a civil servant who opted for early retirement directly from this position in January 2005; and therefore did not subsequently take up any civil service or politically appointed position. Lam was not the most senior Administrative Officer and the position did not provide him any seniority over other permanent secretaries. It was until January 2006, that the appointment of John Tsang to the position confirmed the position as a politically appointed office. Prior to his appointment, John Tsang was a politically appointed secretary, as the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology. In July 2007, as part of the expansion of the political appointment system to introduce two layers of politically appointed junior secretaries, the salary level of the position was changed to tie with that of politically appointed secretaries. The office holder is also officially given the duty to co-ordinate the works of different bureaus (as Hong Kong ministries are known since 1997), making the office holder politically more powerful, regardless of his or her seniority. The position of Permanent Secretary was first created as a non-permanent position supernumerary post from August 2005 to January 2006, while the position of the Director was left vacant. The salary level was set as the same as other Permanent Secretaries, i.e. Point 8 of the Directorate Pay Scale, aka the D8 rank. From February 2006 onwards, the post became permanent but the salary level was changed to D6, which is lower than Permanent Secretaries in the then 11 bureaux. The office is never filled by the most senior administrative officer as in other countries. Unlike other countries, the Clerk of the Executive Council is a separate position, filled by an administrative officer of the D2 rank. The office holder nevertheless is required to take an oath of secrecy.


Indonesia

The Cabinet Secretary is called ''Sekretaris Kabinet'' in
Indonesian language Indonesian (; ) is the official language, official and national language of Indonesia. It is a standard language, standardized variety (linguistics), variety of Malay language, Malay, an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language that has ...
, usually act as one of the President's spokesperson.


Kenya

Secretary to the Cabinet The office of Secretary the Cabinet was established in 1963. The officer was in charge of the Cabinet Office and assisted the Prime Minister in managing cabinet affairs. The Secretary to the Cabinet was appointee of the Governor General, in consultation with the Public Service Commission and the Prime Minister at the time. The position was retained after Kenya became a republic and elevated to Secretary to the cabinet and Head of Public Service, appointed by the President. The officer would be the senior most civil servant, in charge of the Civil Service and the Cabinet Office. Under the 2010 constitution, the Secretary to the Cabinet is defined as in charge of cabinet office and is appointed by the president subject to parliamentary approval upon vetting. The current holder of the office is Ms.Mercy Wanjau


Philippines

In the Philippines the Cabinet Secretary was a cabinet-level rank of the Cabinet. Under the present
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
and the initial implementing guidelines pursuant to Executive Order No. 237, series of 1987, the primary mandate was to provide technical support to the Cabinet, primary advisory counsel to the President, as well as the following: #Assist in providing timely and organized information to the Cabinet on issues and problems submitted for decision and action. #Provide conference and administrative support services to the Cabinet, the Cabinet Clusters, the Cabinet Assistance System and other committees created by the Cabinet. #Conduct technical research and special studies on specific policy issues. #Maintain an efficient records-management system, including a Cabinet Archives and a library. #Certify Cabinet resolutions that indicate agreements and actions reached during Cabinet meetings. #Exercise such other functions and powers as may be provided by law or as directed by the President.


Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka the Cabinet Secretary is the head of the
Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister and Cabinet ...
. The post is held by a civil servant and it is equal to a
Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary is the most senior Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant of a department or Ministry (government department), ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are ...
.


United States

In the United States there is an official called the Cabinet Secretary within the Executive Office of the President charged with maintaining relations between members of the Cabinet and the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
. The position is not a civil service position, instead being subject to presidential appointment. The Cabinet Secretary is Evan Ryan. However, the term "Cabinet Secretary" is also sometimes used in a generic sense to refer to one of the members of the United States Cabinet, as these people are titled Secretary (e.g., Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense). This usage is not official, and differs from the use in other countries.


See also

* Secretary of the Government (disambiguation)


References


External links

* Mongolia: {{cite web , title=Cabinet Office of the Government of Mongolia , url=http://www.cabinet.gov.mn/english/ , access-date=25 January 2013 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911134831/http://www.cabinet.gov.mn/english/ , archive-date=11 September 2011 Government occupations