Oral Answers to Questions — Economic Warfare. – in the House of Commons at on 20 February 1940.
Rear-Admiral Tufton Beamish
, Lewes
asked the Minister of Economic Warfare what exports from Germany are referred to in the recent assurance given to the United States Government as being allowed to reach the United States in very exceptional circumstances?
Sir Ronald Cross
, Rossendale
No specific exports from Germany were referred to in the assurance to which the hon. and gallant Member refers.
Rear-Admiral Tufton Beamish
, Lewes
Can my hon. Friend say whether the "exceptional circumstances" have yet arisen?
Sir Ronald Cross
, Rossendale
Yes, Sir. A number of exemptions have already been given.
Rear-Admiral Tufton Beamish
, Lewes
Can my hon. Friend specify any particular export?
Sir Ronald Cross
, Rossendale
I do not think that it would be at all desirable that I should give the details or reasons why certain applications for exemption are refused by the Enemy Exports Committee for the granting of exemption.
Sir Geoffrey Mander
, Wolverhampton East
Can the hon. Gentleman say whether they amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds or millions of pounds?
Sir Ronald Cross
, Rossendale
I certainly could not give any approximation of the value of these exemptions, but obviously they would not be of the dimensions which the hon. Member suggested.
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.
