Oral Answers to Questions — Civil Defence. – in the House of Commons at on 14 December 1939.
Mr Thomas Harvey
, Combined English Universities
asked the Minister of Health whether he can now state the decison of the Government with regard to billeting allowances for evacuated teachers and the provision of travelling facilities for teachers evacuated to a considerable distance from their homes?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
As regards billeting allowances, I am not yet in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 7th December. As regards travelling facilities, I am now able to say that in connection with their Christmas leave, which, in the intersts of the children and the householders, is being taken on a rota, evacuated teachers may be allowed one return journey by rail without cost to themselves to the area from which they were evacuated or, provided the cost of that journey is not exceeded, to their home in any other town.
Mr Thomas Harvey
, Combined English Universities
While thanking the Minister for his reply, may I ask whether he will expedite the decision with regard to billeting allowances?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
I know that the matter is one of urgency.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that many of these teachers are very severely hit in having to keep up their homes in London as well as having to maintain their lodgings in the country?
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.
