Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 14 September 1931.
Mr Lionel Beaumont-Thomas
, Birmingham King's Norton
asked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to ensure that no grants in aid of works will be made to local authorities unless they can prove conclusively that the work proposed is of urgent public necessity, and to cause all outstanding applications to be reconsidered from this point of view?
Mr Milner Gray
, Mid Bedfordshire
I have been asked to reply. As regards unemployment grants, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to pages 8 and 9 of the white paper (Cmd. 3952) which sets out the proposals of the Government and states, as regards outstanding applications, that it is anticipated that only schemes of the highest economic value will be proceeded with. A circular letter, a copy of which will be placed in the library, is being issued to the local authorities concerned. As regards Road Fund grants, I understand that my hon. Friend the Minister of Transport will make an announcement at an early date.
Mr Lionel Beaumont-Thomas
, Birmingham King's Norton
I am very sorry, but I did not hear a single word of the reply.
Mr William Thorne
, West Ham Plaistow
Does the reply mean that all works of an uneconomic nature are going to be stopped?
Mr Milner Gray
, Mid Bedfordshire
No, Sir, not at all.
Mr William Thorne
, West Ham Plaistow
That is what the reply means.
Mr Robert Taylor
, Lincoln
Will the hon. Member say what are works of the "highest economic value"? What is the standard?
Mr Milner Gray
, Mid Bedfordshire
The reply is, "works of the highest economic value." The hon. Member may differ in opinion as to what they may be, but, obviously, I cannot deal with that point by question and answer.
Mr Robert Taylor
, Lincoln
Does it mean that they are schemes which will save the most labour or schemes which will provide the most labour?
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A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
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.
