Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Navy. – in the House of Commons at on 2 May 1923.
Mr John Davison
, Smethwick
asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give an assurance that it is the considered policy of his Department to encourage the establish ment of joint industrial councils and to advise the maintenance of such councils already formed?
Mr Anderson Barlow
, Salford South
It is the policy of my Department to encourage the establishment of joint industrial councils in suitable cases, and to help to maintain those already formed. The experience of the working of these councils, having regard to the difficult times through which industry has been passing, has proved the great value of this form of voluntary joint machinery, by which employers' and workers' representatives meet regularly for the purpose of considering matters affecting their industries.
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.
