Oral Answers to Questions — Housing. – in the House of Commons at on 12 March 1924.
Mr George Oliver
, Ilkeston
asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the setting up of a costing committee for the purpose of controlling the price of building material, so that the rents of new houses will be as low as possible?
Mr John Wheatley
, Glasgow Shettleston
This is one of the questions which are engaging my serious attention. It will be dealt with in the proposals I hope to submit to Parliament in due course.
Mr Daniel Somerville
, Barrow-in-Furness
Was not a Committee set up by the last Government, and is it not still functioning?
Mr John Wheatley
, Glasgow Shettleston
Yes, the Committee is still functioning as successfully as ever.
Mr John Remer
, Macclesfield
Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether his proposals will be put forward within one week or one month?
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.
