Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments. – in the House of Commons at on 7 February 1929.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Gilbert Acland-Troyte
, Tiverton
asked the Minister of Health the extra cost of taking the census every five years; and whether any part of this cost will fall on the rates?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:
The cost of any census depends, not only upon the scope of the inquiries which it may include, but also upon the rates of remuneration which may be current at the time that the census is taken for the kind of services which it is necessary to employ. It is very difficult, therefore, to furnish any estimate of the cost of census-taking over any future period, either on the quinquennial system or, indeed, on the present decennial system. But it may be assumed that the average cost per census under the quinquennial system will fall considerably short of the average cost on the present system, other things being equal; and in any event no part of the cost will fall upon the rates.
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.
