The position is a development of the Minister without Portfolio (Υπουργός άνευ χαρτοφυλακίου), renamed in 1991. It has no fixed functions, each minister's responsibilities is defined ad hoc by the Prime Minister in each cabinet. The most usual role is the supervision of the General Secretariat to the Prime Minister and the General Secretariat to the Government, as well as the General Secretariats of Information and of Media, which resulted from the breakup of the former Ministry for the Press and the Media. The Minister of State has hence often functioned as the government spokesman.