Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies. – in the House of Commons at on 31 January 1940.
Mr. White:
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the office of the Cereal Control Board is at Godstone?
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
The central office of the Cereals Control Board is in London, but the Cereals Import Committee of the board, which is concerned with the technical aspects of buying imported supplies of cereals and their distribution in the United Kingdom, is housed at Godstone. This is a measure of dispersal adopted as an insurance against the possibility of dislocation of an essential service. The accommodation has been placed at the disposal of the board by Mr. James V. Rank who is chairman of the committee.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
May I ask whether the home of the chief of the milling combine is the likeliest possible place for the Area Import Board; and will he tell us exactly who constitutes the buying executive, with their names and, exactly in what trades they are involved?
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
I cannot give all the names in answer to a Supplementary Question, but we are much indebted to the far-sighted work clone by the committee under Mr. Rank's chairmanship. When the history of these transactions becomes known it will be realised what good work this committee has done in the national interest.
Mr. De la Bère:
Is my hon. Friend aware of the misstatement made by the Minister of Food on the 25th January when he stated that Godstone was a small auxiliary control board? Is it not a fact that it is the hub of the rascally milling combines?
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
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.
