Winston Churchill, on forming his government in 1940, created the office of Minister of Defence to exercise ministerial control over the Chiefs of Staff Committee and to co-ordinate defence matters. The post was held by the Prime Minister of the day until Clement Attlee's government introduced the Ministry of Defence Act of 1946. The new ministry was headed by a Minister of Defence who possessed a seat in the Cabinet. The three existing service Ministers—the Secretary of State for War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for Air—remained in direct operational control of their respective services, but ceased to attend Cabinet. COUNT 5
QSN1 Who created the office of Minister of Defence? ANS1 Winston Churchill QSN2 When was the Ministry of Defence Act introduced? ANS2 1946 QSN3 When did Winstron Churchill form his government? ANS3 1940 QSN4 The new ministry, according to the Act of 1946, was headed by a Minister of Defence who possessed what? ANS4 a seat in the Cabinet QSN5 Who stopped attending Cabinet with the passage of the Ministry of Defence Act of 1946? ANS5 the Secretary of State for War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of State for Air