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]
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]
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.
^Jackson, Robert J. and Doreen Jackson. Politics in Canada: Culture, Institutions, Behavior and Public Policy. 6th ed. (Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2006). p355.
