The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign Secretary is a member of the Cabinet, and the posit is considered one of the Great Offices of State. It came into existence in 1968 with the merger of the functions of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs into a single Department of State. The India Office was a predecessor department of the Foreign Office. The Foreign Secretary works out of the Foreign Office in Whitehall. The post's official residences are 1 Carlton Gardens in London and Chevening House in Kent.