Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 15 June 1933.
Mr George Buchanan
, Glasgow Gorbals
(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed persons in the building trade up-to-date and the total unemployment benefit being paid?
Sir Henry Betterton
, Rushcliffe
The number of insured persons in the building industry classification recorded as unemployed in Great Britain at 22nd May, 1933, was 168,896. Accounts are not kept of insurance benefit or transitional payments paid in separate trades, but assuming that the average rates for men and boys apply to this trade, the approximate cost of insurance benefit and transitional payments for the above number would be £135,000 a week.
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.
