Parliamentary secretary

A parliamentary secretary is a member of Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with their duties. In several countries, the position has been re-designated as assistant minister. In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India and Singapore, it is customary for the prime minister to appoint parliamentary secretaries from their political party in parliament to assist cabinet ministers with their work. The role of parliamentary secretaries varies under different prime ministers. The post has often served as a training ground for future ministers. In Australia, parliamentary secretaries are appointed in the federal government and most state governments. At the federal level, the Australian constitution provides only for the appointment of "ministers of state". Under current practice, ministers of state are divided into three levels: parliamentary secretaries are the third level, after cabinet ministers (ministers who are members of the Cabinet of Australia) and other ministers. Since 2015, "parliamentary secretaries" have been known as "assistant ministers" instead. However, the Ministers of State Act 1952 still refers to "parliamentary secretaries", as a category of "ministers of state". The Prime Minister is permitted to appoint a member from either house of Parliament to be a parliamentary secretary to a minister. As they are ministers of state for constitutional purposes, parliamentary secretaries may be paid a salary. According to Paul Keating in 1993, "the institution of Parliamentary Secretary provides a very inexpensive means not only of giving talented individuals executive experience but providing Ministers with needed support." In the state of Queensland, parliamentary secretaries were re-designated as 'assistant ministers' following the 2012 Queensland election. List of Parliamentary Secretaries of Canada and List of current Parliamentary Secretaries of Canada During Jean Chrétien's term as Prime Minister of Canada, parliamentary secretaries were set to two-year terms and the post was used as a reward for weary backbenchers.