View source for Secretary of State for Social Services

The '''secretary of state for social services''' was a position in the UK cabinet with responsibility for the [[Department of Health and Social Security]] between 1968 and 1988.

It was created by an [[Order in Council]] which came into operation on 1 November 1968. It transferred the functions of the Minister of Health and the Minister of Social Security to the new Secretary of State, and dissolved those respective ministries.<ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=1968 |number=1699 |si=The Secretary of State for Social Services Order 1968 |date=25 October 1968 |accessdate=1 August 2024 }}</ref>

Although the department was titled 'Department of Health and Social Security', the title of the cabinet minister with responsibility for the department was 'secretary of state for social services'.<ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=SECRETARY OF STATE for SOCIAL SERVICES |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1968/oct/24/secretary-of-state-for-social-services#column_1609 |house=House of Commons |date=24 October 1968 |column=1609 |speaker=Richard Crossman |position=Secretary of State for Social Services |quote=The House will notice that my title is wider than that of the proposed new Department. This is in recognition of the fact, as the Prime Minister mentioned in the House last week, that I have been asked to continue my coordination of the whole range of social services, in addition to my responsibility for the new Department. }}</ref>

It continued until 25 July 1988 when the [[Department of Health and Social Care|Department of Health]] and the [[Department of Social Security (United Kingdom)|Department of Social Security]] were created.

Though when created the position had responsibility for the [[National Health Service]] throughout [[England and Wales]], responsibility for the [[NHS Wales|NHS in Wales]] was transferred to the [[Secretary of State for Wales|secretary of state for Wales]] in 1969.

==Secretaries of state==
'''Colour key''' (for political parties):<br />
{{legend2|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=3|Name
! colspan=2|Term of office
! Length of term
! Political party
! colspan=2|Prime Minister
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[Richard Crossman]]
| 1 November 1968
| 19 June 1970
|{{age in years, months and days|1 November 1968|19 June 1970}}
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Harold Wilson]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[Keith Joseph|Sir Keith Joseph]]
| 20 June 1970 
| 4 March 1974
|{{age in years, months and days|20 June 1970|4 March 1974}}
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Edward Heath]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn|Barbara Castle]]
| 5 March 1974 
| 8 April 1976
|{{age in years, months and days|5 March 1974|8 April 1976}}
| Labour
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[Harold Wilson]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| colspan=2|[[David Ennals, Baron Ennals|David Ennals]]
| 8 April 1976 
| 4 May 1979
|{{age in years, months and days|8 April 1976|4 May 1979}}
| Labour
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[James Callaghan]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[Patrick Jenkin, Baron Jenkin of Roding|Patrick Jenkin]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1097/career |title=Lord Jenkin of Roding |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref>
| 5 May 1979 
|13 September 1981
|{{age in years, months and days|5 May 1979|13 September 1981}}
| Conservative
| rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=3|[[Margaret Thatcher]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[Norman Fowler]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/315/career |title=Lord Fowler |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref>
| 14 September 1981 
| 13 June 1987
|{{age in years, months and days|14 September 1981|13 June 1987}}
| Conservative
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | 
| colspan=2|[[John Moore, Baron Moore of Lower Marsh|John Moore]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/1022/career |title=Lord Moore of Lower Marsh |work=UK Parliament |access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref>
| 13 June 1987 
| 24 July 1988
|{{age in years, months and days|13 June 1987|24 July 1988}}
| Conservative
|-
| colspan=8| ''Post split into [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Secretary of State for Social Security]] and [[Secretary of State for Health]] in 1988.''
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Secretary of State for Health}}

[[Category:Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom]]