The Ministry of Production was a British government department created in February 1942, initially under the title Ministry of War Production, but the following month "War" was dropped from the title. Its conception was to fill a gap in the machinery of government between the Ministry of Supply, Ministry of Aircraft Production and Admiralty on the one hand, responsible for supply to the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Labour and National Service on the other, which was responsible for the distribution of labour between civilian occupations, war industry and the Armed Forces. It was a critical part of the British administrative organisation that contributed to victory over the Axis during World War II.