<P> Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, normally referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior, high - ranking official within the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office . The Foreign Secretary is a member of the Cabinet, and the post is considered one of the Great Offices of State . It is considered a position similar to that of Foreign Minister in other countries . The Foreign Secretary reports directly to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom . </P> <P> The Foreign Secretary's remit includes: relations with foreign countries, matters pertaining to the Commonwealth of Nations and the Overseas Territories in addition to the promotion of British interests abroad . The Foreign Secretary also has ministerial oversight for the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The Foreign Secretary works out of the Foreign Office in Whitehall, and the post's official residences are 1 Carlton Gardens in London and Chevening in Kent . Margaret Beckett, appointed in 2006 by Tony Blair, is the only woman to have held the post . </P> <P> The current Foreign Secretary is Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London, who was appointed by Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2016 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="10"> (show) History of United Kingdom government departments with responsibility for foreign affairs </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Northern Department 1660--1782 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td_colspan="7"> Foreign Office 1782--1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1968--present Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="1"> Southern Department 1660--1768 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> Colonial Office 1768--1782 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> Home Office 1782--1794 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> War Office 1794--1801 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> War and Colonial Office 1801--1854 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> Colonial Office 1854--1925 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> Colonial Office 1925--1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> Commonwealth Office 1966--1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Southern Department 1768--1782 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> Dominions Office 1925--1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> Commonwealth Relations Office 1947--1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="5">. </Td> <Td> India Office 1858--1937 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> <Td> India Office and Burma Office 1937--1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who took over as foreign secretary in 2016