Oral Answers to Questions — Unemployment. – in the House of Commons at on 1 February 1940.
Mr Wilfrid Roberts
, Cumberland Northern
asked the Minister of Labour whether grants of 33⅓ per cent. towards the cost of field drainage schemes are still available in the Special Areas?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
Yes, Sir. I should mention that it is necessary for the applicant to show to the satisfaction of the Minister of Agriculture that a scheme submitted for grant would be likely to increase the productivity of agricultural land within the war period.
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.
