– in the House of Commons at on 8 February 1940.
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
May I ask the Prime Minister whether he will state the business for next week, and also may I give notice that we intend to put a Motion on the Paper dealing with the Railways Agreement and ask the Prime Minister whether he will afford time for a discussion.
Mr Neville Chamberlain
, Birmingham, Edgbaston
Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be:
Tuesday: Debate on Opposition Motion on the Railways Agreement and, if there is time. Report and Third Reading of the Industrial Assurance and Friendly Societies Bill.
Wednesday: Committee stage of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous War Provisions) Bill, and Motion to approve the Home-Grown Oats (Standard Price) Order.
Thursday: Motion to approve the Governor-General of India's Proclamation of Emergency, and consideration of draft Orders-in-Council proposed to be made under the Government of India and Burma Acts; and Second Reading of the Rating and Valuation (Postponement of Valuations) Bill.
The House will not sit on Friday.
It is hoped to conclude the Committee stage of the Agriculture Bill on Wednesday, but if more time is required, the Bill will be taken on Thursday after the Second Reading of the Rating and Valuation Bill.
Sir Geoffrey Mander
, Wolverhampton East
Can the Prime Minister say when it is proposed to take the Report stage of the Civil Supplementary Estimates?
Mr Neville Chamberlain
, Birmingham, Edgbaston
Some time during the week, probably.
Mr. Graham White:
In view of the importance of some of the issues raised in the new Pensions Bill, can the Prime Minister give any indication when it is likely to be taken?
Mr Neville Chamberlain
, Birmingham, Edgbaston
We cannot take it next week, but perhaps it will be the week after.
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.
The Second Reading is the most important stage for a Bill. It is when the main purpose of a Bill is discussed and voted on. If the Bill passes it moves on to the Committee Stage. Further information can be obtained from factsheet L1 on the UK Parliament website.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
