The minister of finance (de facto deputy prime minister) was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland (Cabinet) in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972. The post was combined with that of the prime minister of Northern Ireland for a brief period in 1940–1941 and was vacant for two weeks during 1953, following the death of incumbent minister John Maynard Sinclair. The office was often seen as being occupied by the prime minister's choice of successor. Two ministers of finance went on to be prime minister, while two more, Maginness and Jack Andrews, were widely seen as possible successors to the premiership.
# Name Took office Prime MinisterParty 1. Hugh MacDowell Pollock 7 June 1921 Craigavon 2. J. M. Andrews 21 April 1937 Craigavon, Andrews 3. John Milne Barbour 16 January 1941 Andrews 4. John Maynard Sinclair 6 May 1943 Brookeborough Vacant 31 January 1953 Brookeborough N/A 5. Brian Maginess 13 February 1953 Brookeborough 6. George Hanna 20 April 1956 Brookeborough 7. Terence O'Neill 21 September 1956 Brookeborough 8. Jack Andrews 25 March 1963 O'Neill 9. Ivan Neill 22 July 1964 O'Neill 10. Herbert Kirk 2 April 1965 O'Neill, Chichester-Clark, Faulkner
Deputy Prime Minister From 3 May 1969, a separate and distinct office of Deputy Prime Minister was created and occupied by Jack Andrews, who was also Leader of the Senate.
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Ministry of Finance 1921 – 1937 Milne Barbour 1937 – 1940 Alexander Gordon 1940 – 1941 vacant 1941 – 1943 Maynard Sinclair Office abolished 1943
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance (and Chief Whip) 1921 – 1942 Herbert Dixon, 1st Baron Glentoran 1942 – 1944 Sir Norman Stronge 1944 – 1945 Sir Wilson Hungerford 1945 – 1947 Lancelot Curran 1947 – 1956 Walter Topping 1956 – 1959 Brian Faulkner 1959 – 1963 Isaac George Hawthorne 1963: William Craig 1963 – 1966 James Chichester-Clark 1966 – 1968 vacant 1968 – 1969 Roy Bradford Office abolished 1969
Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance (and Assistant Chief Whip) 1921 – 1925 Thomas Henry Burn 1925 – 1929 Henry Mulholland 1929 – 1933 Sir Basil Brooke 1933 – 1941 Sir Wilson Hungerford 1941 – 1942 Sir Norman Stronge 1942 – 1943 Robert Corkey 1943 – 1945 vacant 1945 – 1958 John Edgar Bailey 1958 Harry West 1958 – 1961 William James Morgan 1961 – 1963 William Fitzsimmons 1963 James Chichester-Clark 1963 – 1965 vacant 1965 – 1966 Isaac George Hawthorne 1966 – 1967 Roy Bradford and Samuel Magowan 1967 – 1968 Samuel Magowan and vacancy 1968 – 1969 Samuel Magowan and Joseph Burns 1969 Samuel Magowan and John William Kennedy Office abolished 1969
References The Government of Northern Ireland