Deputy minister explained

Deputy minister is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. A deputy minister is positioned in some way ‘under’ a minister, who is a full member of Cabinet, in charge of a particular standing policy portfolio, and typically oversees an associated civil service department. Depending on the jurisdiction, a "Deputy minister" may be a Cabinet minister who regularly acts as and for a more senior cabinet minister (rare except in the case of "Deputy Prime Minister"), a junior minister assigned to assist a cabinet minister, an elected member of the governing party or coalition assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister ‘from the back benches’ (i.e., not part of the Cabinet, Government or Ministry) or a non-elected head of a civil service department taking political direction from a Cabinet minister.

• Bangladesh: A Deputy minister is junior to a Minister of a Department of State (portfolio minister) and of similar standing to a Parliamentary Secretary.^[1]
• Canada: The Deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department and takes political direction from an appointed minister of the Crown.^[2]
• East Timor: The Government, which comprises the Prime Minister, Ministers and Secretaries of State, may include one or more Deputy Prime Ministers and Deputy Ministers.^[3]
• Japan: A Deputy Minister assists the work of the Cabinet of Japan.^[4]
• Malaysia: A Deputy minister is not a member of the Cabinet and also called half minister. It is secondary to and ranked below ministers. Deputy ministers deputise for ministers. A ministry usually has one or two deputy ministers.
• Netherlands: A State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Cabinet of the Netherlands.
• South Africa: A Deputy Minister is secondary to cabinet ministers. The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet also has deputy shadow ministers.
• Sri Lanka: A Deputy ministers are junior ministers ranking below that of cabinet minister and State Minister. It is similar to the pre-1972 post of Parliamentary Secretary.
• Tanzania: The Deputy ministers are junior ministers, and are usually not members of the government's cabinet

See also

• Minister (government)
• Departmental assistant
• Deputy prime minister
• Ministers of State

External links

• Departmental Deputy Ministers - Canada (current list)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hon'ble Deputy Ministers. 3 June 2016.
2. Jackson, Robert J. and Doreen Jackson. Politics in Canada: Culture, Institutions, Behavior and Public Policy. 6th ed. (Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2006). p355.
3. Web site: Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, section 104 . Government of Timor-Leste . 26 January 2021.
4. Web site: 副大臣 時事用語事典 情報・知識＆オピニオン imidas - イミダス . 2022-03-30 . 情報・知識＆オピニオン imidas.