Andrew Duncan

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Sir Andrew Rae Duncan (18841952) was a British businessman who was brought into government during the Second World War, serving twice as both President of the Board of Trade and Minister of Supply.

Duncan was a Director of the Bank of England and of Imperial Chemical Industries. He was chairman of the British Iron and Steel Federation. He was elected as a National Liberal Member of Parliament for the City of London in a 1940 by-election and was made a member of the Cabinet and a Privy Counsellor. He was re-elected at the 1945 election, stepped down at the 1950 general election and died in 1952.

During his time in ministerial office, there was some concern that someone so closely involved with the iron, steel and chemical industries was in charge of their regulation. However, wartime pressures kept Duncan in post and he was undamaged. He returned to the Iron and Steel Federation after the war, working to resist the Labour government's nationalisation plans with Aubrey Jones, his assistant, later a Conservative minister.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Alan Garrett Anderson
George Broadbridge
Member of Parliament for The City of London
2seat constituency
(with George Broadbridge 1940–1945
Ralph Assheton 1945–1950)

1940–1950
Succeeded by
(constituency abolished)
Political offices
Preceded by
Oliver Stanley
President of the Board of Trade
1940
Succeeded by
Oliver Lyttelton
Preceded by
Herbert Stanley Morrison
Minister of Supply
1940–1941
Succeeded by
The Lord Beaverbrook
Preceded by
Oliver Lyttelton
President of the Board of Trade
1941–1942
Succeeded by
John Llewellin
Preceded by
The Lord Beaverbrook
Minister of Supply
1942–1945
Succeeded by
John Wilmot