Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 13 March 1929.
Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
, Plymouth, Devonport
asked the Minister of Labour whether any complaints have been received by his Department that, owing to the transference of miners from distressed areas, persons have been unable to secure employment in their own districts in consequence of the work having been given to the miners?
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
A number of such complaints have been received, but on investigation they have proved to be generally without foundation.
Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
, Plymouth, Devonport
How can they be without foundation seeing that in a town like Plymouth, where there have been 5,000 or 6,000 unemployed for many years, if miners who are transferred there are to get work it is obvious that they are putting men out of work or preventing the unemployed from getting work?
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
The hon. Gentleman has put a very general question which involves a very general answer. If he has any specific point which he wishes to bring to my attention and he will put down a question with regard to it, I shall be glad to answer it.
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
No, Sir. The remarks of the London magistrate have not been brought to my notice.
Mr George Lansbury
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
We will send them to you.
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.