Oral Answers to Questions — Housing. – in the House of Commons at on 8 December 1920.
Sir Charles Edwards
, Bedwellty
asked the Minister of Health in how many cases building schemes are being carried out under the Office of Works; and whether any of the men employéd on these schemes are not members of trade unions?
Sir Alfred Mond
, Swansea West
Seventeen schemes are now being carried out by my Department. I am unable to state whether all the men employéd on these schemes are members of trade unions, but labour is recruited through the Labour Exchanges and with the assistance of local labour and trades councils, and the local branches of the Federation of Building Trade Operatives.
Mr James Hogge
, Edinburgh East
Does the right hon. Gentleman's Department require any authority to take on this work, and, if so, who gives the authority?
Mr William Thorne
, West Ham Plaistow
Is there any difficulty in getting men for this particular class of work, and is he in a position to get all the material he requires?
Sir Alfred Mond
, Swansea West
There is certainly a difficulty in getting certain classes of labour for this work.
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.
