Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments. – in the House of Commons at on 30 January 1940.
Mr Valentine McEntee
, Walthamstow West
asked the Minister of Economic Warfare what position in a West End store was held prior to the outbreak of war by the officer who is now head of the foreign trade statistics branch of his Department; what is his salary; what previous experience this officer had of foreign trade statistics; how many of his relations have been appointed to the Ministry; what salaries they are receiving; and what previous experience they had of foreign trade statistics?
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.
