Oral Answers to Questions — Economic Warfare. – in the House of Commons at on 20 February 1940.
Mr John Parker
, Romford
asked the Minister of Economic Warfare whether the recently concluded trade agreement between Great Britain, France and Belgium authorises Belgium to maintain her re-exports to Germany on their pre-war level?
Sir Ronald Cross
, Rossendale
I regret that it is not in the public interest to give any information about the agreements of this kind which have been concluded by His Majesty's Government since the war began. For obvious reasons the neutral Governments concerned attach the greatest importance to their terms being kept confidential, and we shall be seriously handicapped in future negotiations if there is any doubt on this point. I fear, therefore, that I must ask the House not to press me for information about these agreements. But I can assure the hon. Member that His Majesty's Government have been fully alive to the importance of the point to which he has drawn attention.
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.
