Oral Answers to Questions — Civil Defence. – in the House of Commons at on 8 February 1940.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
asked the Minister of Health whether he is now able to announce the decisions arrived at by the conference between the Board and teachers' organisation respecting billeting allowances and the extra domestic financial burdens borne by teachers through their evacuation?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
Officers of my Department and of the Board of Education, in conjunction with the teachers' representatives, have the question of teachers' billeting allowances under consideration. Certain inquiries are being made, with the co-operation of the teachers, but I am not yet able to announce a decision. There will, however, be no avoidable delay.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
If any beneficial decision is reached will it be retrospective, in view of the hardship existing in certain cases among teachers who have to maintain their billets and their own homes?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
I will not give an undertaking, but I will keep that question in mind.
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.
