The position of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs was created on 1 August 1966 by the merger of the old positions of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and Secretary of State for the Colonies. The position dealt with British relations with members of the Commonwealth of Nations. In 1968 the position was merged with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to create the new position of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

[edit] Secretaries of State for Commonwealth Affairs, 1966–1968

• Herbert Bowden (1 August 1966–29 August 1967)
• George Thomson (29 August 1967–17 October 1968)

History of UK Government Departments with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs
Colonial Office 1768 – 1782 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Home Office 1782 – 1794 Secretaries Undersecretaries	War Office 1794 – 1801 Secretaries Undersecretaries	War and Colonial Office 1801 – 1854 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Colonial Office 1854 – 1925 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Colonial Office 1925 – 1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries		Commonwealth Office 1966 – 1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries	Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1968 – Present Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries
					Dominions Office 1925 – 1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Commonwealth Relations Office 1947 – 1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries
.				India Office 1858 – 1937 Secretaries Undersecretaries	India and Burma Office 1937 – 1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries
Foreign Office 1782 – 1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries