Oral Answers to Questions — Public Health. – in the House of Commons at on 24 July 1934.
Sir Richard Wells
, Bedford
asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the highest and lowest rates in rural areas for which a grant in respect of a water supply has been given, showing the amounts in both cases of the rates previous to a proposed scheme and the approximate increase due to a scheme, and the amounts granted by the county and the Ministry?
Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare
, Norwich
The highest rate is 22s. ld., and the estimated increase in rates needed to carry out the scheme without assistance approximately 3d. The proposal is a joint scheme for 33 parishes towards the whole of which a lump sum grant of £7,500 has been provisionally allocated on condition that the county council make an equivalent contribution. The lowest rate is 7s. 4d. and the estimated increase in rates needed to carry out the scheme without assistance approximately 3s. 8d. The scheme is a joint scheme for 18 parishes towards which the Ministry have provisionally allocated a lump sum grant of £3,000 and the county council an annual contribution of £487.
Mr Thomas Levy
, Elland
Will the hon. Gentleman tell us what will happen if county councils refuse to make the grants suggested—whether in such circumstances no water supply schemes will be started in those rural areas?
Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare
, Norwich
As no county council has hitherto refused to make a contribution that is entirely a hypothetical question.
Sir Richard Wells
, Bedford
asked the Minister of Health the total amount granted in respect of rural water supplies to date?
Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare
, Norwich
Grants to the total of £132,500 have been provisionally allocated in respect of schemes for 361 parishes estimated to cost £1,037,000.
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.
