Oral Answers to Questions — Naval and Military Pensions and Grants. – in the House of Commons at on 14 February 1924.
Mr James Gilbert
, Southwark Central
asked the Minister of Pensions the present number of pensioners—male, female, and children— for which his Department is responsible; how the present numbers compare with the total number of pensioners a year ago; what has been the percentage of reduction; and what is the cause of the difference
Mr. ROBERTS:
There are, approximately, 2,266,000 beneficiaries as compared with 2,572,000 a year ago, a. reduction of about 12 per cent. The main reasons for this reduction are recovery of pensioners, cessation of allowances on children attaining the age of 16, remarriage of female pensioners and deaths.
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.
