Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Mercantile Marine. – in the House of Commons at on 5 December 1939.
Mr Pierse Loftus
, Lowestoft
asked the Minister of Shipping whether arrangements will be made to furnish the members of the Mercantile Marine with a badge to denote that they are in the Merchant Navy, particularly as there is no prescribed uniform for seafarers other than officers?
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.
