Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 6 February 1939.
Mr Neville Chamberlain
, Birmingham, Edgbaston
The arrangements in regard to these matters cannot be determined in detail until there has been an opportunity for discussion with the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence who only reached this country on Saturday afternoon on his return from India.
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.
