Oral Answers to Questions — Afghanistan. – in the House of Commons at on 6 February 1929.
Mr Shapurji Saklatvala
, Battersea North
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which Government in Afghanistan is now in friendly touch with the British Government; and is there at present any official recognition or friendly support to one of the several claimants to the throne of Afghanistan?
Mr Austen Chamberlain
, Birmingham West
His Majesty's Minister at Kabul is in unofficial touch with the de facto authority controlling the city in connection with local matters such as the safety and evacuation of foreign nationals. Similarly His Majesty's Consul at Kandahar is in unofficial touch with the Government of King Amanulla. As I have already informed the House, His Majesty's Government have no intention of interfering in Afghan affairs by supporting or assisting any of the parties at present contending for power in that country.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
