Oral Answers to Questions — Transport. – in the House of Commons at on 18 October 1939.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now say how soon after the settling down process has been completed in reception areas he will give parents of evacuated children cheap travelling facilities?
Captain Euan Wallace
, Hornsey
The question as to when it would be wise, assuming that the conditions of transport permit, to provide special facilities for visits of parents to the reception areas is one primarily for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
Did the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not say in reply to my question that he agreed with the Minister of Health that these facilities might be given? Has he reviewed the situation since then?
Captain Euan Wallace
, Hornsey
In reply to the hon. Lady a fortnight ago I said that the question was primarily one for the Minister of Health, and that if the Ministry of Health take action in the matter my Department will do what they can, provided the transport situation permits, to assist.
Major-General Sir Alfred Knox
, Wycombe
Will the Minister consult the reception areas, where the weekly influx of these parents is an unmitigated nuisance?
Mr Benjamin Smith
, Bermondsey Rotherhithe
Is it not the policy of the Ministry of Transport to keep fares high so as to prevent parents visiting their children?
Captain Euan Wallace
, Hornsey
That would be a most unfair interpretation of what I have said.
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.
