Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 13 March 1929.
Mr Austen Chamberlain
, Birmingham West
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but His Majesty's Minister at Mexico City has reported that Mr. J. W. Reid, a British subject, together with an American citizen, has been kidnapped by bandits and is being held to ransom. Both men are employed by a mining company in the State of Durango. His Majesty's Minister and the United States Ambassador are in communication on the subject with the Mexican Government, and His Majesty's Vice-consul at Durango has been instructed to co-operate with his United States colleague in endeavouring to secure the release of the captured men.
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.
