Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 24 May 1937.
Sir Gifford Fox
, Henley
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when the regulations are enforced with regard to the testing of brakes of motor-cars by the police and traffic officials, no Opposition will be offered to the owner of a motor-car calling expert rebutting evidence in the courts; and whether he will give an assurance that prosecutions will not be instituted based upon the evidence of one policeman or traffic official?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
It will, of course, be open to the owner of a motor vehicle to call any witnesses he thinks fit, if in the opinion of the court the evidence which the witness can give is relevant and admissible. The question whether the evidence of more than one police officer will be available depends on the circumstances in which the alleged offence comes to the notice of the police, and my right hon. Friend cannot give the assurance asked for in the second part of the question. As regards traffic officials, questions should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
My right hon. Friend has given an undertaking in response to representations by Members of this House that, in regard to garages, he is advising chief officers of police not to undertake such an examination, save in most exceptional circumstances, without notifying the owner of the vehicle as well as the owner of the premises.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
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.
