Oral Answers to Questions — Housing. – in the House of Commons at on 18 June 1924.
Mr Arthur Comyns Carr
, Islington East
asked the Minister of Health whether he has taken any and what steps to ascertain what measures have been taken, at what cost, and with what degree of success, in the several British Dominions and in various foreign countries, particularly in the American States and especially in New York and Pennsylvania, to promote the building of dwellings since the Armistice; if so, whether he is prepared to lay any Papers showing the result of his inquiries; and, if not, whether he will take steps to obtain the information?
Mr John Wheatley
, Glasgow Shettleston
Information regarding special action in certain American States was placed in the library of the House of Commons by my predecessor. I will have such materials as are available in my Department scrutinised, with a view to seeing what further information can usefully be placed in the Library.
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.
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The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
