Part of 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?
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".
