Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 8 December 1920.
Mr William Thorne
, West Ham Plaistow
asked the Minister of Health if he has received any information from the West Ham Board of Guardians to the effect that they will shortly be called upon to deal within the Union area with about 20,000 men out of employment; if he is aware that if they give a modified labour test it will cost about £1 per week per case; that the rates in some of the Union's area are about 25s. in the £; and, in consequence of the gravity of the situation from every point of view, he will agree to receive a deputation from the representatives of the West Ham Union?
Dr Christopher Addison
, Shoreditch
I am aware that a number of applications for relief are being made in this Union, and I shall be glad to consider any suggestions which the Guardians may be able to make. It would, however, be more convenient that these suggestions should in the first instance be submitted in writing.
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.
