Secretary of State (United Kingdom)

Legislation in the United Kingdom is often written like this example section of a hypothetical Silly Walks Act 1970: 1.

This gives the minister a separate legal personality, allowing continuity in areas such as the ownership of property between office-holder changes.

[8][9]: p.29  After the Stuart Restoration, the practice of appointing two secretaries of state resumed.

[11] The secretaries of state that have been used for the matters of health, education, work, business, energy, environment, transport and the regions are shown in the graphic below.

However, it is impossible for such a graphic to be completely accurate; it cannot show smaller changes, or gains or losses of responsibilities within a position due to changes of responsibilities for the UK Government (for example, due to devolution or Brexit).