Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry. – in the House of Commons at on 12 December 1939.
Mr. David Adams:
asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that of the salary of the personnel of the assistant coal officers and the liaison officers, totalling £12,700 per annum, the sum of 5,620 is paid to retired and pensioned home, or Colonial civil servants; and, as persons thrown out of employment and possessing excellent qualifications for such work should have preference, what action he proposes in the matter?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
I assume that the hon. Member is referring to divisional coal officers and coal liaison officers, and not to assistant divisional coal officers. As I informed him in answer to a question on 3oth November, these officers were selected and familiarised with their wartime duties in peace time in view of their capability for the duties required of them in war time. It would not be in the public interest to replace officers so selected and trained by other persons without experience in work of this nature.
Mr. Adams:
Does the Minister agree that, all things being equal, unemployed persons ought to have preference?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
The important thing is to have people with the necessary qualifications.
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.
