Oral Answers to Questions — Transport. – in the House of Commons at on 16 April 1929.
Sir Harry Brittain
, Acton
asked the Minister of Transport whether any estimate has been made of the cost of a road tunnel under the Thames from Dartford to Purfleet; and whether any decision as to its utility and value has been arrived at?
Lieut-Colonel Wilfrid Ashley
, New Forest and Christchurch
The proposed tunnel has been estimated to cost approximately £3,000,000, to which must be added a further £800,000 for contingent road works. While the construction of a tunnel under the lower reaches of the Thames would no doubt in due course prove useful, the London Traffic Advisory Committee have informed me that in their opinion the new Victoria Dock Road and a number of other works in the Metropolitan area are of more immediate urgency.
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.
