Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies. – in the House of Commons at on 8 December 1920.
Mr John Cairns
, Morpeth
asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the great hardship inflicted upon retail co-operative socie ties and retail dealers generally owing to- the reduction of 4s. per sack on flour; is he aware that when flour was reduced in September dealers were protected; is he also aware that these same people suffered heavily when sugar was reduced by 2d. in the pound, owing to their stocks having been bought at a dearer rate; and will he take these matters into considera tion with a view to compensation?
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson
, Glasgow Maryhill
In announcing the reduction of 4s. per sack in the wholesale price of flour, the Food Controller drew special attention to the stocks held by retailers, and pointed out that the public must allow a reasonable margin of time for these stocks to be worked off. I do not, therefore, see that retailers are involved in any special hardship. With regard to the reduction in the price of sugar, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply just given to the hon. Member for Stafford.
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.
