Oral Answers to Questions — Transport. – in the House of Commons at on 6 December 1920.
Sir Wilfred Sugden
, Royton
asked the Minister of Transport what steps will be taken to permit railway companies opportunity to raise any further necessary capital which is urgently needed for extension of their usefulness to traders and the public generally?
Sir Eric Geddes
, Cambridge
No obstacle has ever been placed in the way of railway companies as regards raising capital. Further, in order that the controlled railway companies may be encouraged to spend the capital necessary to provide the facilities required by traders and the public, the Government allows during the period of possession interest at 5 per cent, on approved capital expenditure or new works and additional rolling stock, and such interest begins to accrue from the date on which the expenditure is incurred. A sum of about £14,000,000 has been so approved by the Ministry after most careful scrutiny and examination.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
