Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture. – in the House of Commons at on 1 February 1940.
Mr Wilfrid Roberts
, Cumberland Northern
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the new regulations for the sale of seed oats prevent a farmer from selling seed oats to another farmer; and whether all such transactions have now to be made through authorised merchants?
Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith
, Petersfield
No, Sir, but the buying farmer would have first to be licensed by the Minister of Food as an "approved buyer" for the purposes of the Home Grown Oats (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1940.
Mr Wilfrid Roberts
, Cumberland Northern
Do I understand that every farmer who buys seed oats from another farmer has first to get the approval of the head office of the Ministry of Food?
Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith
, Petersfield
He must have a licence.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
Do we understand that, although the price of seed oats is not restricted, no farmer can sell to another farmer without the transaction going through an authorised merchant?
Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith
, Petersfield
There must be a licence.
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.
