Oral Answers to Questions — Mercantile Marine. – in the House of Commons at on 30 January 1940.
Mr. David Adams:
asked the Minister of Shipping whether he has now a statement to make on the present position and relationship of the Mercantile Marine to his Department?
Sir Arthur Salter
, Oxford University
My right hon. Friend directs or controls the trading operations of the Mercantile Marine, either by the system of licensing or under requisition. He has already announced his policy as regards requisition.
Sir Arthur Salter
, Oxford University
Yes, Sir, a great deal of ordinary tramp tonnage is requisitioned, and further tonnage of that type is being brought under requisition. The requisitioning system is not, however, at this moment, universally applied.
Sir Arthur Salter
, Oxford University
My right hon. Friend has announced that he is extending requisition with a view to applying it generally to tramps.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
May I ask whether the policy of the Ministry of Shipping is receiving the full support of the shipowners' and seamen's representatives, or whether serious complaints are not being made?
Sir Arthur Salter
, Oxford University
We are engaged in constant consultations with the shipowners and with the seamen. If I said to the hon. Member that there were no complaints at all, he would either think I was not entirely ingenuous, or that we were being too generous, but we are constantly in consultation.
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.
