– in the House of Commons at on 12 March 1924.
Mr Thomas Groves
, West Ham Stratford
asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that when sick persons are admitted to the West Ham Poor Law Hospital their old age pension book is taken from them, retained by the relieving officer, and such amounts of money as may be due to the sick person in such respect taken, without consent of the persons, as part cost of the patient's maintenance; and whether he will issue instructions to cease such practice?
Mr John Wheatley
, Glasgow Shettleston
I have made inquiries in regard to this question, and I am informed that the written authority of the pensioners is always obtained before old age pension money is drawn on their behalf by officers of the board of guardians, and that no coercion whatever is used to obtain the pensioner's consent. There appears to be, therefore, no ground for my Intervention.
Mr Alfred Short
, Wednesbury
Will the right hon. Gentleman satisfy himself that there is no coercion?
Mr John Wheatley
, Glasgow Shettleston
If any hon. Member will submit evidence to me, I will investigate the matter.
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.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
