Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland. – in the House of Commons at on 20 February 1940.
Mr Robert Gibson
, Greenock
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many towns and villages in each county in Scotland there was a shortage of bread during the recent spell of severe weather; in how many of these towns and villages was there a local baker or bakers in August, 1914. but none now; and where there are such local bakers, in how many of these towns and villages was there a bread shortage owing to lack of supplies, and what supplies?
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
I have been asked to reply. No reports reached the Ministry of Food during the recent severe weather of shortages of bread or bread-making materials in any parts of the United Kingdom.
Mr Robert Gibson
, Greenock
Is the Minister not aware that in many parts of Scotland towns and villages were without bread during the severe weather, and will he cause further inquiries to be made in order to get the facts of the situation?
Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd
, Mid Bedfordshire
My information is as stated in the reply which I have just given, that the divisional officers did not complain of any shortage.
Mr Robert Gibson
, Greenock
Has the Minister read an article in the "Scotsman" by the Rev. Dr. James Black?
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
