Second Major ministry

Government of the United Kingdom from 1992 to 1997

This article is about the people in John Major’s second government. For the events of John Major's tenure as prime minister, see Premiership of John Major.

Second Major ministry

Cabinet of the United Kingdom
1992–1997

Major in 1996

Date formed| 10 April 1992 (1992-04-10)
Date dissolved| 2 May 1997 (1997-05-02)
People and organisations
Monarch| Elizabeth II
Prime Minister| John Major
Prime Minister's history| Premiership of John Major
Deputy Prime Minister| Michael Heseltine (1995–1997)
Total no. of members| 274 appointments
Member party|

* Conservative Party

Status in legislature|

* Majority (1992–1996)

336 / 651 (52%)

* Minority (1996–1997)

324 / 651 (50%)

dependent on UUP support

Opposition cabinet|

* Kinnock Shadow Cabinet
* Smith Shadow Cabinet
* Beckett Shadow Cabinet
* Blair Shadow Cabinet

Opposition party|

* Labour Party

Opposition leader|

* Neil Kinnock (1992)
* John Smith (1992–1994)
* Margaret Beckett (1994)
* Tony Blair (1994–1997)

History
Election| 1992 general election
Outgoing election| 1997 general election
Legislature terms| 51st UK Parliament
Budgets|

* March 1993 budget
* November 1993 budget
* 1994 budget
* 1995 budget
* 1996 budget

Predecessor| First Major ministry
Successor| First Blair ministry
|  |

This article is part of
a series about

John Major

|

* Electoral history
* MP for Huntingdon
* 1990 budget

* * *

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

* Premiership

* * *

First ministry and term

(November 1990 – April 1992)

* 1990 leadership election
* Ministry
* Citizen's Charter
* Charter Mark
* Cones Hotline
* Early 1990s recession
* Gulf War
* 1992 general election

* * *

Second ministry and term

(April 1992 – May 1997)

* Ministry
* Black Wednesday
* National Lottery
* Further and Higher Education Act 1992
* Grant-maintained schools
* Maastricht Treaty
* rebels
* Northern Ireland peace process
* Downing Street mortar attack
* Downing Street Declaration
* 1993 reviews of the British honours system
* Council Tax
* Child Support Agency
* 1993 vote of confidence
* Back to Basics
* Privatisation of British Rail
* Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
* 1995 Conservative Party leadership election
* The Cullen Reports
* Cash for Questions
* Committee on Standards in Public Life
* Arms-to-Iraq affair
* Scott Report
* United Kingdom BSE outbreak
* Wirral South by-election
* Resignation Honours

* * *

Bibliography

* The Autobiography
* More Than a Game
* My Old Man

* * *

* v
* t
* e

John Major formed the second Major ministry following the 1992 general election after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to begin a new government. His government fell into minority status on 13 December 1996.[1]

## Formation

[edit]

The change of leader from Margaret Thatcher to John Major saw a dramatic turnaround in Conservative support, with the double-digit lead in the opinion polls for the Labour Party being replaced by a narrow Conservative one by the turn of 1991. Although a general election did not have to be held until June 1992, Labour leader Neil Kinnock kept pressurising Major to hold an election during 1991, but Major resisted the calls and there was no election that year.

The recession which began in the autumn of 1990 deepened during 1991, with unemployment standing at nearly 2.5 million by December 1991, compared to 1.6 million just 18 months earlier. Despite this, Tory support in the opinion polls remained relatively strong, with any Labour lead now being by the narrowest of margins, although Labour still made some gains at the expense of the Tories in local elections, and seized the Monmouth seat from the Tories in a by-election.

Major finally called an election for 9 April 1992 which ended the first Major ministry. In a surprise to most pollsters, Major won the election, which led to the formation of the Second Major ministry and a fourth consecutive Conservative term in office.

There was widespread media and public debate as to whether the Labour Party could ever win a general election again, as they had failed to do so in 1992, despite the Conservative government having been in power for over a decade and presiding over a recession for the second time. At the same time, there was much private debate (made public many years later in the memoirs of senior figures including Major himself) within the Conservative government as to whether a fifth successive general election victory was a realistic possibility.

The new term of parliament saw Major gain a new opponent in John Smith, who succeeded Neil Kinnock as Labour leader.

However, the months which followed the 1992 general election saw a series of events which went a long way towards deciding the outcome of the next general election long before it was even on the political horizon.

## Fate

[edit]

See also: 1993 vote of confidence in the Major ministry

On Wednesday 16 September 1992, the pound sterling crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism after Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont had invested heavily in trying to keep it there, adjusting interest rates four times in one day as a desperate measure, an event which became known as Black Wednesday, leaving the Conservative government's reputation for economic excellence in tatters. Labour was soon ascendant in the opinion polls, and next few years brought a string of heavy defeats for the Conservatives in local council elections and parliamentary by-elections, with both Labour and the Liberal Democrats benefiting at their expense.

Internal Conservative Party feuding on Europe and the government defeat on the Maastricht Treaty further dented the government's popularity, as did coal mine closures announced in late 1992, and a series of scandals involving MPs.

The end of the recession was declared in April 1993 after nearly three years, and unemployment – which had peaked at nearly 3,000,000 people by the end of 1992 – quickly began to fall. It had fallen below 2,500,000 within two years of the recession's end, and by the end of 1996 it was below the 2,000,000 mark. Freed from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, the British economy outperformed the rest of the continent for the first time in a generation.

However, the strong economic recovery failed to make much difference to the dismal Conservative performance in the opinion polls. Labour leader John Smith died of a sudden heart attack in May 1994 and was succeeded by Tony Blair, who continued the modernisation process of the party which began under Smith's predecessor Neil Kinnock, by branding the party as: "New Labour", and by the end of that year the opinion polls were showing Labour support as high as 60% – putting them more than 30 points ahead of the Conservatives.

With the Conservative government remaining divided on Europe and much more, John Major, in an attempt to silence his critics and opponents, announced his resignation as party leader – but not as prime minister – in June 1995, triggering a leadership election. He was opposed by John Redwood, the Secretary of State for Wales, and Major won the leadership election without much difficulty.

The Conservative majority of 21 seats was gradually eroded by a string of by-election defeats as well as the defection of one MP to Labour, and by the turn of 1997 the Conservatives were without a majority in the House of Commons.

Major left it until the last possible moment before calling a general election, finally holding it on Thursday, 1 May 1997. He pinned his hopes of election success on a six-week campaign exposing New Labour's policies to scrutiny, as well as pointing towards a booming economy and falling unemployment. However, as the Conservatives had denied responsibility for the recession at the turn of the decade, few voters were willing to give them credit for the economic recovery, and Labour returned to power after eighteen years in opposition, with a 179-seat majority that saw several powerful Conservative figures (most notably Michael Portillo, widely tipped to be the next Leader of the Conservative Party) lose their seats and the loss of all Conservative seats in Wales and Scotland; the Conservatives subsequently suffered their worst general election result of the twentieth century and their place in government was taken by Labour, led by Tony Blair, after four successive parliamentary terms of Conservative Party rule.[2]

The Conservatives did not return to government until 2010, and did not win a parliamentary majority until 2015, having had to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in order to form their first government under David Cameron.

## Cabinet

[edit]

### April 1992 to May 1993

[edit]

First Cabinet of Second Major ministry[3] Portfolio  | Minister  | Term

|
|

Cabinet ministers
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Minister for the Civil Service | John Major | 1990–97
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern | 1987–97
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Norman Lamont | 1990–93
Foreign Secretary | Douglas Hurd | 1989–95
Home Secretary | Kenneth Clarke | 1992–93
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | John Gummer | 1989–93
Secretary of State for Defence | Malcolm Rifkind | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Education | John Patten | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Employment | Gillian Shephard | 1992–93
Secretary of State for National Heritage | David Mellor | 1992–92
Peter Brooke | 1992–94
Secretary of State for the Environment | Michael Howard | 1992–93
Secretary of State for Health | Virginia Bottomley | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Sir Patrick Mayhew | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council | Tony Newton | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham | 1992–94
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | William Waldegrave | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Social Security | Peter Lilley | 1992–97
Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Lang | 1990–95
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
President of the Board of Trade | Michael Heseltine | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Transport | John MacGregor | 1992–94
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Michael Portillo | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Wales | David Hunt | 1990–93
Also attending cabinet meetings
Chairman of the Conservative Party | Norman Fowler | 1992–94
Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Richard Ryder | 1990–95

#### Changes

[edit]

* On 24 September 1992 David Mellor resigns as Secretary of State for National Heritage following tabloid reporting of an affair with actress Antonia de Sancha. He was replaced by Peter Brooke.[4]

### May 1993 to July 1994

[edit]

Second Cabinet of Second Major ministry[3] Portfolio  | Minister  | Term

|
|

Cabinet ministers
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Minister for the Civil Service | John Major | 1990–97
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern | 1987–97
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Kenneth Clarke | 1993–97
Foreign Secretary | Douglas Hurd | 1989–95
Home Secretary | Michael Howard | 1993–97
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Gillian Shephard | 1993–94
Secretary of State for Defence | Malcolm Rifkind | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Education | John Patten | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Employment | David Hunt | 1993–94
Secretary of State for National Heritage | Peter Brooke | 1992–94
Secretary of State for the Environment | John Gummer | 1993–97
Secretary of State for Health | Virginia Bottomley | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Sir Patrick Mayhew | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council | Tony Newton | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham | 1992–94
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | William Waldegrave | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Social Security | Peter Lilley | 1992–97
Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Lang | 1990–95
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
President of the Board of Trade | Michael Heseltine | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Transport | John MacGregor | 1992–94
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Michael Portillo | 1992–94
Secretary of State for Wales | John Redwood | 1993–95
Also attending cabinet meetings
Chairman of the Conservative Party | Norman Fowler | 1992–94
Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Richard Ryder | 1990–95

### July 1994 to July 1995

[edit]

Third Cabinet of Second Major ministry[3] Portfolio  | Minister  | Term

|
|

Cabinet ministers
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Minister for the Civil Service | John Major | 1990–97
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern | 1987–97
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Kenneth Clarke | 1993–97
Foreign Secretary | Douglas Hurd | 1989–95
Home Secretary | Michael Howard | 1993–97
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | William Waldegrave | 1994–95
Secretary of State for Defence | Malcolm Rifkind | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Education | Gillian Shephard | 1994–95
Secretary of State for Employment | Michael Portillo | 1994–95
Secretary of State for National Heritage | Stephen Dorrell | 1994–95
Secretary of State for the Environment | John Gummer | 1993–97
Secretary of State for Health | Virginia Bottomley | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Sir Patrick Mayhew | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council | Tony Newton | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | Robert Gacoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne | 1994–97
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | David Hunt | 1994–95
Secretary of State for Social Security | Peter Lilley | 1992–97
Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Lang | 1990–95
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
President of the Board of Trade | Michael Heseltine | 1992–95
Secretary of State for Transport | Brian Mawhinney | 1994–95
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Jonathan Aitken | 1994–95
Secretary of State for Wales | John Redwood | 1993–95
Minister without portfolio
Chairman of the Conservative Party | Jeremy Hanley | 1994–95
Also attending cabinet meetings
Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Richard Ryder | 1990–95

### July 1995 to May 1997

[edit]

Fourth Cabinet of Second Major ministry[3] Portfolio  | Minister  | Term

|
|

Cabinet ministers
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Minister for the Civil Service | John Major | 1990–97
Deputy Prime Minister

First Secretary of State

| Michael Heseltine | 1995–97
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern | 1987–97
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Kenneth Clarke | 1993–97
Foreign Secretary | Malcolm Rifkind | 1995–97
Home Secretary | Michael Howard | 1993–97
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Douglas Hogg | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Defence | Michael Portillo | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Education and Employment | Gillian Shephard | 1995–97
Secretary of State for National Heritage | Virginia Bottomley | 1995–97
Secretary of State for the Environment | John Gummer | 1993–97
Secretary of State for Health | Stephen Dorrell | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Sir Patrick Mayhew | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council | Tony Newton | 1992–97
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne | 1994–97
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Roger Freeman | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Social Security | Peter Lilley | 1992–97
Secretary of State for Scotland | Michael Forsyth | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
President of the Board of Trade | Ian Lang | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Transport | Sir George Young, 6th Baronet | 1995–97
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | William Waldegrave | 1995–97
Secretary of State for Wales | William Hague | 1995–97
Minister without portfolio
Chairman of the Conservative Party | Brian Mawhinney | 1995–97
Also attending cabinet meetings
Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Alastair Goodlad | 1995–97

## List of ministers

[edit]

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Office  | Name  | Date  | Notes

|
|
|

Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Minister for the Civil Service | John Major | Continued in office – 1 May 1997 |
Deputy Prime Minister
First Secretary of State | Michael Heseltine | 20 July 1995 |
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern | Continued in office |
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord President of the Council | Tony Newton | 10 April 1992 |
Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | John Wakeham, Baron Wakeham | 11 April 1992 |
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne | 20 July 1994 |
Chancellor of the Exchequer | Norman Lamont | 28 November 1990 |
Kenneth Clarke | 27 May 1993 |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Michael Portillo | 10 April 1992 |
Jonathan Aitken | 20 July 1994 |
William Waldegrave | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Treasury | Sir John Cope | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994  | also Paymaster General
Anthony Nelson | 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 |
David Heathcoat-Amory | 20 July 1994 – 20 July 1996 | also Paymaster General
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Government Chief Whip | Richard Ryder | 28 November 1990 |
Alastair Goodlad | 5 July 1995 |
Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Stephen Dorrell | 14 April 1992 |
Sir George Young, 6th Baronet | 20 July 1994 |
Michael Jack | 5 July 1995 |
Economic Secretary to the Treasury | Anthony Nelson | 14 April 1992
Angela Knight | 6 July 1995
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury | Phillip Oppenheim | 23 June 1996
Lords of the Treasury | Greg Knight | Continued in office – 27 May 1993 |
Irvine Patnick | Continued in office – 20 July 1994 |
Nicholas Baker | 3 December 1990 – 20 July 1994 |
Timothy Wood | 14 April 1992 – 5 July 1995 |
Tim Boswell | 14 April 1992 – 11 December 1992 |
Timothy Kirkhope | 11 December 1992 – 5 July 1995 |
Andrew MacKay | 27 May 1993 – 17 October 1995 |
Derek Conway | 20 July 1994 – 23 July 1996 |
Andrew Mitchell | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Bowen Wells | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Simon Burns | 5 July 1995 – 23 July 1996 |
David Willetts | 5 July 1995 – 28 November 1995 |
Michael Bates | 17 October 1995 – 11 December 1996 |
Liam Fox | 28 November 1995 – 23 July 1996 |
Patrick McLoughlin | 23 July 1996 – 1 May 1997 |
Roger Knapman | 23 July 1996 – 1 May 1997 |
Richard Ottaway | 23 July 1996 – 1 May 1997 |
Gyles Brandreth | 11 December 1996 – 1 May 1997 |
Assistant Whips  | Timothy Kirkhope | 25 July 1990 - 15 December 1992
David Davis | 3 December 1990 - 28 May 1993
Andrew MacKay | 15 April 1992 - 7 June 1993
Robert Hughes | 15 April 1992 - 20 July 1994
James Arbuthnot | 15 April 1992 - 20 July 1994
Andrew Mitchell | 15 December 1992 -20 July 1994
Michael Brown | 7 June 1993 - 9 May 1994
Derek Conway | 7 June 1993 - 20 July 1994
Bowen Wells | 9 May 1994 - 7 July 1995
Simon Burns | 20 July 1994 - 7 July 1995
David Willetts | 20 July 1994 - 7 July 1995
Michael Bates | 20 July 1994 - 17 October 1995
Liam Fox | 20 July 1994 - 29 November 1995
Patrick McLoughlin | 7 July 1995 - 23 July 1996
Roger Knapman | 7 July 1995 - 23 July 1996
Gary Streeter | 7 July 1995 - 3 June 1996
Richard Ottaway | 17 October 1995 - 23 July 1996
Gyles Brandreth | 29 November 1995 - 12 December 1996
Seb Coe | 6 June 1996 - 2 May 1997
Anthony Coombs | 23 July 1996 - 2 May 1997
Jacqui Lait | 23 July 1996 - 2 May 1997
Peter Ainsworth | 23 July 1996 - 2 May 1997
Matthew Carrington | 12 December 1996 - 2 May 1997
Foreign Secretary | Douglas Hurd | 26 October 1989 |
Malcolm Rifkind | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey  | Continued in office – 1 May 1997  | also Minister of Overseas Development; created Baroness Chalker of Wallasey 24 April 1992
Tristan Garel-Jones | Continued in office – 27 May 1993 |
Douglas Hogg | Continued in office – 5 July 1995 |
Alastair Goodlad | 15 April 1992 – 5 July 1995 |
David Heathcoat-Amory | 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
David Davis | 20 July 1994 – 1 May 1997 |
Jeremy Hanley | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Sir Nicholas Bonsor | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Mark Lennox-Boyd | Continued in office - 20 July 1994 |
Tony Baldry | 20 July 1994 - 5 July 1995 |
Liam Fox | 23 July 1996 |
Minister for Overseas Development | Lynda Chalker | Continued in office  | also Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; created Baroness Chalker of Wallasey 24 April 1992
Home Secretary | Kenneth Clarke | 11 April 1992 |
Michael Howard | 27 May 1993 |
Minister of State for Home Affairs | Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | Continued in office – 20 July 1994 |
Michael Jack | 14 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Peter Lloyd | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
David Maclean | 27 May 1993 – 1 May 1997 |
Michael Forsyth | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Emily Blatch, Baroness Blatch | 20 July 1994 – 1 May 1997 |
Ann Widdecombe | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs | Charles Wardle | 15 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Nicholas Baker | 20 July 1994 – 17 October 1995 |
Timothy Kirkhope | 17 October 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Tom Sackville | 28 November 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | John Gummer | Continued in office |
Gillian Shephard | 24 May 1993 |
William Waldegrave | 20 July 1994 |
Douglas Hogg | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | David Curry | 14 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Michael Jack | 27 May 1993 – 5 July 1995 |
Tony Baldry | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Nicholas Soames | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Frederick Curzon, 7th Earl Howe | 14 April 1992 – 5 July 1995 |
Angela Browning | 20 July 1994 – 1 May 1997 |
Tim Boswell | 5 July 1995 – 1 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Defence | Malcolm Rifkind | 15 April 1992 |
Michael Portillo | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for the Armed Forces | Archie Hamilton | Continued in office |
Jeremy Hanley | 27 May 1993 |
Nicholas Soames | 20 July 1994 |
Minister of State for Defence Procurement | Jonathan Aitken | 14 April 1992 |
Roger Freeman | 20 July 1994 |
James Arbuthnot | 6 July 1995 |
Under-Secretary of State for Defence | Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne | 22 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley | 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 |
Frederick Curzon, 7th Earl Howe | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Education | John Patten | 10 April 1992 |
Gillian Shephard | 20 July 1994  | Secretary of State for Education and Employment after 5 July 1995
Minister of State, Education | Emily Blatch, Baroness Blatch | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Eric Forth | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997  | Minister of State, Education and Employment after 5 July 1995
Minister of State, Education and Employment | Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State, Education | Eric Forth | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Nigel Forman | 14 April 1992 – 11 December 1992 |
Tim Boswell | 19 December 1992 – 6 July 1995 |
Robin Squire | 27 May 1993 – 2 May 1997  | Under-Secretary of State, Education and Employment after 5 July 1995
Under-Secretary of State, Education and Employment | James Paice | 7 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Cheryl Gillan | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Employment | Gillian Shephard | 12 April 1992 |
David Hunt | 27 May 1993 |
Michael Portillo | 20 July 1994  | Merged with the Office of Education 5 July 1995
Minister of State, Employment | Michael Forsyth | 14 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Ann Widdecombe | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Under-Secretary of State, Employment | Nicholas Lowther, 2nd Viscount Ullswater | Continued in office – 16 September 1993 |
Patrick McLoughlin | 14 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Ann Widdecombe | 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley | 16 September 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
James Paice | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Phillip Oppenheim | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State, Energy | Timothy Eggar | 15 April 1992 – 20 July 1994  | under Office of Trade and Industry; became Minister of State, Energy and Industry 20 July 1994
Secretary of State for the Environment | Michael Howard | 11 April 1992 |
John Gummer | 27 May 1993 |
Minister of State for Local Government | John Redwood | 15 April 1992 |
David Curry | 27 May 1993 |
Minister of State for Housing | Sir George Young, 6th Baronet | 28 November 1990 |
The Viscount Ullswater | 20 July 1994  | Post renamed Minister of State for Construction 6 July 1995
Minister of State for Construction | Robert Jones | 6 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Environment and Countryside | David Maclean | 14 April 1992 |
Tim Yeo | 27 May 1993 |
Robert Atkins | 7 January 1994 |
Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | 6 July 1995 |
Under-Secretary of State, Environment | Tony Baldry | 28 November 1990 – 20 July 1994 |
Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde | 15 April 1992 – 16 September 1993 |
Robin Squire | 15 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Jean Denton, Baroness Denton of Wakefield | 16 September 1993 – 11 January 1994 |
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran | 11 January 1994 – 20 July 1994 |
Sir Paul Beresford | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Robert Jones | 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 |
James Clappison | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Health | Virginia Bottomley | 10 April 1992 |
Stephen Dorrell | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State, Health | Brian Mawhinney | 14 April 1992 |
Gerry Malone | 20 July 1994 |
Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social Security | Tom Sackville | 14 April 1992 – 29 November 1995 |
Julia Cumberlege, Baroness Cumberlege | 14 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 |
Tim Yeo | 15 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
John Bowis | 27 May 1993 – 23 July 1996 |
John Horam | 29 November 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Simon Burns | 23 July 1996 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Social Security | Peter Lilley | 10 April 1992 |
Minister of State, Social Security | Nicholas Scott | Continued in office – 20 July 1994 |
William Hague | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
John MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Alistair Burt | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State, Social Security | Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley | Continued in office - 16 September 1993
Ann Widdecombe | 30 November 1990 – 27 May 1993 |
Alistair Burt | 14 April 1992 – 6 July 1995 |
William Hague | 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor | 16 September 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
James Arbuthnot | 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 |
Roger Evans | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Andrew Mitchell | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Oliver Heald | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | William Waldegrave | 11 April 1992 | also Minister for the Public Service
David Hunt | 20 July 1994 | also Minister for the Public Service
Roger Freeman | 5 July 1995 | also Minister for the Public Service
Parliamentary Secretary for the Public Service | Robert V. Jackson | 15 April 1992 |
David Davis | 27 May 1993 |
Robert Hughes | 20 July 1994 |
John Horam | 6 March 1995 |
David Willetts | 28 November 1995 |
vacant | 20 July 1996 |
Michael Bates | 16 December 1996 |
Secretary of State for National Heritage | David Mellor | 11 April 1992 |
Peter Brooke | 25 September 1992 |
Stephen Dorrell | 20 July 1994 |
Virginia Bottomley | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State, National Heritage | Iain Sproat | 6 July 1995 |
Under-Secretary of State, National Heritage | Robert Key | 14 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Iain Sproat | 27 May 1993 – 6 July 1995 |
William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor | 20 July 1994 – 6 July 1995 |
Richard Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baron Inglewood | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Sir Patrick Mayhew | 10 April 1992 |
Minister of State, Northern Ireland | Robert Atkins | 14 April 1992 – 11 January 1994 |
Michael Mates | 15 April 1992 – 24 June 1993 |
Sir John Wheeler | 25 June 1993 – 2 May 1997 |
Michael Ancram | 11 January 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland | Jeremy Hanley | 3 December 1990 – 27 May 1993 |
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran | 22 April 1992 – 11 January 1994 |
Michael Ancram | 27 May 1993 – 5 January 1994 |
Jean Denton, Baroness Denton of Wakefield | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Tim Smith | 6 January 1994 – 20 October 1994 |
Malcolm Moss | 25 October 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Paymaster General | Sir John Cope | 14 April 1992  | also Minister of State, Treasury
David Heathcoat-Amory | 20 July 1994  | also Minister of State, Treasury
David Willetts | 20 July 1996 |
Michael Bates | 16 December 1996 |
Minister without Portfolio | Jeremy Hanley | 20 July 1994 – 5 July 1995 |
Brian Mawhinney | 5 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Lang | 28 November 1990 |
Michael Forsyth | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Scotland | Peter Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie | 14 April 1992 – 6 July 1995 |
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | Lord James Douglas-Hamilton | Continued in office – 6 July 1995 |
Allan Stewart | 28 November 1990 – 8 February 1995 |
Sir Hector Monro | 14 April 1992 – 6 July 1995 |
George Kynoch | 8 February 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Raymond Robertson | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Minister for Consumer Affairs | Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | 20 July 1994 | Under Office of Trade and Industry; office abolished 6 July 1995
Minister for Trade | Richard Needham
(6th Earl of Kilmorey)  | 14 April 1992 |
Anthony Nelson | 6 July 1995 |
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Michael Heseltine | 10 April 1992 |
Ian Lang | 5 July 1995 |
Minister for Industry | Tim Sainsbury | 15 April 1992 - 20 July 1994 |
Minister of State for Trade and Industry | Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde | 11 January 1994 – 20 July 1994 |
Peter Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie | 6 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Minister of State, Energy and Industry | Timothy Eggar | 20 July 1994 |
Greg Knight | 23 July 1996 |
Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry | Edward Leigh | Continued in office – 27 May 1993 |
Neil Hamilton | 14 April 1992 – 25 October 1994 |
Jean Denton, Baroness Denton of Wakefield | 14 April 1992 – 16 September 1993 |
Jonathan Evans | 27 October 1994 – 29 November 1995 |
Patrick McLoughlin | 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde | 16 September 1993 – 11 January 1994 |
Charles Wardle | 20 July 1994 – 11 February 1995 |
Ian Taylor | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Richard Page | 14 February 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Phillip Oppenheim | 7 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
John Mark Taylor | 29 November 1995 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Transport | John MacGregor | 10 April 1992 |
Brian Mawhinney | 20 July 1994 |
Sir George Young, 6th Baronet | 5 July 1995 |
Minister for Public Transport | Roger Freeman | 28 November 1990 – 20 July 1994 |
Minister for Railways and Roads | Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness | 14 April 1992 – 11 January 1994 |
John Watts | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Under-Secretary of State for Transport | Kenneth Carlisle | 14 April 1992 – 27 May 1993 |
Steven Norris | 14 April 1992 – 23 July 1996 |
Robert Key | 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994 |
John MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish | 11 January 1994 – 20 July 1994 |
Giles Goschen, 4th Viscount Goschen | 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
John Bowis | 23 July 1996 – 2 May 1997 |
Secretary of State for Wales | David Hunt | Continued in office |
John Redwood | 27 May 1993 |
David Hunt | 26 June 1995 |  (Acting)
William Hague | 5 July 1995 |
Minister of State for Wales | Wyn Roberts | Continued in office – 20 July 1994 |
Under-Secretary of State for Wales | Nicholas Bennett | 3 December 1990 – 14 April 1992 |
Gwilym Jones | 14 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 |
Rod Richards | 20 July 1994 – 2 June 1996 |
Jonathan Evans | 2 June 1996 – 2 May 1997 |
Attorney General | Sir Patrick Mayhew | Continued in office |
Sir Nicholas Lyell | 9 April 1992 |
Solicitor General | Sir Derek Spencer | 15 April 1992 |
Lord Advocate | Alan Rodger, Baron Rodger of Earlsferry | 15 April 1992 |
Donald Mackay, Baron Mackay of Drumadoon | 7 November 1995 |
Solicitor General for Scotland | Thomas Dawson | 15 April 1992 | Not an MP
Donald Mackay | 4 May 1995 | Not an MP
Paul Cullen | 7 November 1995 | Not an MP
Treasurer of the Household | David Heathcoat-Amory | 15 April 1992 |
Greg Knight | 7 June 1993 |
Andrew MacKay | 23 July 1996 |
Comptroller of the Household | David Lightbown | 28 November 1990 |
Timothy Wood | 7 July 1995 |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Sydney Chapman | 15 April 1992 |
Timothy Kirkhope | 7 July 1995 |
Andrew MacKay | 18 October 1995 |
Derek Conway | 23 July 1996 |
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh | 2 May 1991 |
Nicholas Lowther, 2nd Viscount Ullswater | 16 September 1993 |
Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde | 20 July 1994 |
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | Michael Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne | 30 December 1991 |
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran | 20 July 1994 |
Richard Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baron Inglewood | January 1995 |
Nicholas Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham | 8 July 1995 |
Lords-in-Waiting | Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness | Continued in office – 22 April 1993 |
William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor | Continued in office – 16 September 1993 |
Richard Gerard Long, 4th Viscount Long | Continued in office – 2 May 1997 |
Colwyn Philipps, 3rd Viscount St Davids | 22 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Giles Goschen, 4th Viscount Goschen | 22 April 1992 – 20 July 1994 |
Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington | 22 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 |
John MacKay, Baron MacKay of Ardbrecknish | 15 October 1993 – 11 January 1994 |
Luke White, 6th Baron Annaly | 18 March 1994 – 20 July 1994 |
Ralph Palmer, 12th Baron Lucas | 21 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
Doreen Miller, Baroness Miller of Hendon | 21 July 1994 – 2 May 1997 |
[[Richard Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baron Inglewood]  | 21 July 1994 – January 1995 |
James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay | 12 January 1995 – 6 July 1995 |
Patrick Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown | 8 July 1995 – 2 May 1997 |

## References

[edit]

* Politics portal
* United Kingdom portal

1. ^ Brown, Colin; Abrams, Fran (13 December 1996). "The Major minority". The Independent. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
2. ^ "John Major: A life in politics". BBC News. 28 September 2002.
3. ^ a b c d "Holders of Ministerial Office in the Conservative Governments 1979-1997" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
4. ^ "1992: Mellor resigns over sex scandal". BBC. 24 September 1992. Retrieved 27 June 2017.

## Further reading

[edit]

* D. Butler and G. Butler (ed.), Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900–2000
* Julian Critchley and Morrison Halcrow, Collapse of Stout Party: The Decline and Fall of the Tories (Victor Gollancz, 1997)

## External links

[edit]

* British Cabinet and Government Membership, archived from the original on 16 January 2009, retrieved 20 April 2012
* British Government 1979–2005, archived from the original on 7 February 2012, retrieved 20 November 2007

Preceded by

First Major ministry

|  Government of the United Kingdom
1992–1997  | Succeeded by

First Blair ministry

|
|

* v
* t
* e

John Major

* Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1990–1997)
* Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1987–1989)
* Foreign Secretary (1989)
* Chancellor of the Exchequer (1989–1990)

Politics|

* Premiership
* Major ministry
* First, 1990–1992
* Second, 1992–1997
* Shadow Cabinet
* One-nation conservatism
* Huntingdonshire
* Huntingdon

National|

* Budgets
* 1991 budget
* 1992 budget
* March 1993 budget
* November 1993 budget
* 1994 budget
* 1995 budget
* 1996 budget
* Citizen's Charter
* Charter Mark
* Cones Hotline
* Early 1990s recession
* Black Wednesday
* National Lottery
* Further and Higher Education Act 1992
* Grant-maintained schools
* Maastricht Rebels
* 1993 Newbury by-election
* Northern Ireland peace process
* Downing Street mortar attack
* Downing Street Declaration
* 1993 reviews of the British honours system
* Council Tax
* Child Support Agency
* 1993 vote of confidence
* Back to Basics
* Privatisation of British Rail
* Criminal Justice and Public Order Act
* 1995 Conservative Party leadership election
* Cullen Report (Dunblane massacre)
* Cash for Questions
* Committee on Standards in Public Life
* Arms-to-Iraq affair
* Scott Report
* United Kingdom BSE outbreak
* Wirral South by-election
* Resignation Honours

International|

* Gulf War
* Iraqi no-fly zones
* Sanctions against Iraq
* Harare Declaration
* Maastricht Treaty
* Bosnian War
* Operation Gabriel

General elections|

* 1992
* 1997

European Parliament Election|

* 1994

Party elections|

* 1990
* 1995

Books|

* John Major: The Autobiography (1999)
* More Than a Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years (2007)
* My Old Man: A Personal History of Music Hall (2012)

Family|

* Norma Major (wife)
* Terry Major-Ball (brother)
* Tom Major-Ball (father)

Cultural depictions|

* Thatcher: The Final Days (TV, 1991)
* Independence Day UK (Radio, 1996)
* Margaret (TV, 2009)
* The Iron Lady  (Film, 2011)
* The Audience (Play, 2013)
* The Crown season 5 (TV, 2022)

* ← Margaret Thatcher
* Tony Blair →

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Major Cabinet

Cabinet Members|

* Jonathan Aitken
* Kenneth Baker
* Virginia Bottomley
* Peter Brooke
* Kenneth Clarke
* Viscount Cranborne
* Stephen Dorrell
* Michael Forsyth
* Roger Freeman
* John Gummer
* William Hague
* Jeremy Hanley
* Michael Heseltine
* Douglas Hogg
* Michael Howard
* David Hunt
* Douglas Hurd
* Tom King
* Norman Lamont
* Ian Lang
* Peter Lilley
* John MacGregor
* Lord Mackay
* John Major
* Brian Mawhinney
* Patrick Mayhew
* David Mellor
* Tony Newton
* Chris Patten
* John Patten
* Michael Portillo
* John Redwood
* Malcolm Rifkind
* Gillian Shephard
* Lord Waddington
* Lord Wakeham
* William Waldegrave
* George Young

Also attended meetings|

* Norman Fowler
* Alastair Goodlad
* Richard Ryder

* v
* t
* e

British governments

Great Britain
(1707–1801)|

* Godolphin–Marlborough
* Harley
* Townshend
* Stanhope–Sunderland I
* Stanhope–Sunderland II
* Walpole–Townshend
* Walpole
* Carteret
* Broad Bottom I and II
* Short-lived
* Newcastle I
* Pitt–Devonshire
* 1757 Caretaker
* Pitt–Newcastle (Newcastle II)
* Bute
* Grenville
* Rockingham I
* Chatham
* Grafton
* North
* Rockingham II
* Shelburne
* Fox–North (Portland I)
* Pitt I

UK (GB and Ire)
(1801–1922)|

* Addington
* Pitt II
* All the Talents
* Portland II
* Perceval
* Liverpool
* Canning
* Goderich
* Wellington–Peel
* Grey
* Melbourne I
* Wellington Caretaker
* Peel I
* Melbourne II
* Peel II
* Russell I
* Who? Who? (Derby–Disraeli I)
* Aberdeen
* Palmerston I
* Derby–Disraeli II
* Palmerston II
* Russell II
* Derby–Disraeli III (Disraeli I)
* Gladstone I
* Disraeli II
* Gladstone II
* Salisbury I
* Gladstone III
* Salisbury II
* Gladstone IV
* Rosebery
* Salisbury III and IV
* Balfour
* Campbell-Bannerman
* Asquith I-III
* Asquith Coalition
* Lloyd George I and II

UK (GB and NI)
(1922–present)|

* Law
* Baldwin I
* MacDonald I
* Baldwin II
* MacDonald II
* National Government I
* National Government II
* National Government III
* National Government IV
* Chamberlain War
* Churchill War
* Churchill Caretaker
* Attlee I and II
* Churchill III
* Eden
* Macmillan I and II
* Douglas-Home
* Wilson I and II
* Heath
* Wilson III and IV
* Callaghan
* Thatcher I
* Thatcher II
* Thatcher III
* Major I
* Major II
* Blair I
* Blair II
* Blair III
* Brown
* Cameron–Clegg (Cameron I)
* Cameron II
* May I
* May II
* Johnson I
* Johnson II
* Truss
* Sunak
* Starmer

Current ministry
*[no.]: number
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*[e]: Edit this template