Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 30 July 1934.
Sir Geoffrey Mander
, Wolverhampton East
asked the Prime Minister who will be the acting head of the Government during the absence abroad of the Prime Minister and the Lord President of the Council?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the exchequer will act for the Prime Minister during my absence abroad.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
asked the Prime Minister whether, in the absence of the Prime Minister, steps will be taken to increase the remuneration of the acting Prime Minister to a more adequate figure?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
No, Sir.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
Will not the Government consider why the reward for consistency should be less than for inconsistency?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
Unfortunately the time at my disposal for Public Business is too short to allow of such a desirable step to be taken.
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.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
Public Business is the main business of the day that follows questions, urgent questions and statements.
