The Minister of Supply was the minister in the British Government responsible for the Ministry of Supply, which existed to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to the national armed forces. The position was campaigned for by many sceptics of the foreign policy of the National Government in the 1930s before finally being created in 1939.
The wartime Ministry of Aircraft Production was amalgamated into the Ministry of Supply in July 1945.
In the post-war governments, the Ministry became increasingly unpopular with economy-minded Conservatives, who objected to it as a redundant middle-man. This point of view was shared by Reginald Maudling, who served as the Minister under Anthony Eden and refused to continue in office under Harold Macmillan; unfortunately for Maudling, Macmillan had served in a junior role in the Ministry and believed in it. Nevertheless, he agreed to wind up the Ministry in 1959.