– in the House of Commons at on 8 February 1940.
Mr Jack Lawson
, Chester-le-Street
asked the Minister of Labour whether there is active co-operation between his Department and the Ministry of Supply in respect to the location of factories for purposes of the war; and what are the steps taken to ensure that such factories are placed where labour is most available?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
It is the accepted principle that, subject to any overriding strategic and technical considerations, new factories shall be located where labour is most available. There is active co-operation between my Department and the Ministry of Supply in this matter.
Mr Jack Lawson
, Chester-le-Street
Is the Minister aware that there is a very strong feeling that there is no direction in the allocation of industries, that contractors simply go where they like, irrespective of strategical considerations or anything else, and that then he has to bring the labour to where they plant their factories?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
No, Sir. I do not think that any survey of the placing of factories in the last 3½ years would prove that to be the case at all. There is a liaison officer of the Ministry of Labour at the Ministry of Supply and before factory sites are decided upon we are consulted.
Mr Jack Lawson
, Chester-le-Street
Then how can the Minister explain why some parts of the North, particularly South West Durham, are completely ignored?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
As I have pointed out, there are strategical and other considerations as well as consideration of supply of labour.
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.
