Chief Secretary to the Treasury


The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the First Lord of the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was created in 1961, to share the burden of representing the Treasury with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

History and responsibilities

Between 1961 and 2015 the holder of the post of Chief Secretary to the Treasury was automatically a member of the Cabinet. This formally made the Treasury the only Department to have three ministerial positions automatically of Cabinet rank and the only department still to have more than one ministerial position of cabinet rank.
Since 2015 the status of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has been reduced to an "also attending Cabinet" role.
The position's responsibilities include negotiating with departments about budget allocations, public sector pay, and procurement policy.

List of Chief Secretaries to the Treasury