Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Navy. – in the House of Commons at on 25 April 1923.
Mr Daniel Somerville
, Barrow-in-Furness
asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that unemployment still continues on a large scale, his Department is in possession of sufficient funds to promote whatever relief works may be necessary; and, if not, whether the Government proposes to ask the House for further allocations for this purpose in anticipation of the need which it is now clear roust exist for some time?
Mr Anderson Barlow
, Salford South
The funds set aside for providing Government assistance towards relief works are not administered by my Department. The question whether Parliament should be asked to place further sums at the disposal of the grant-making Departments is under consideration by the Government.
Captain Denis Shipwright
, Penryn and Falmouth
Is it not a fact that the Ministry of Labour is responsible for 150,000 men on out-relief works?
Mr Anderson Barlow
, Salford South
No, that is not the fact. The Departments concerned are the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Health. There is no direct responsibility on my Department for the administration of these funds, though naturally we are very closely concerned.
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.
