Oral Answers to Questions — Naval and Military Pensions and Grants. – in the House of Commons at on 9 December 1920.
Mr Alfred Short
, Wednesbury
asked the Minister of Pensions the number of officers and nurses drawing retired pay?
Sir James Macpherson
, Ross and Cromarty
On the 31st October, 39,872 officers were in receipt of retired pay, and 1,413 nurses were in receipt of pension.
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.
