Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force. – in the House of Commons at on 21 February 1940.
Mr Walter Higgs
, Birmingham West
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that there is great concern at the proposal to erect an aeroplane factory on some of Warwickshire's best agricultural land where there is no surplus labour and no accommodation for the same; and will he consider erecting it in an industrial area more suitable for the purpose?
Sir Kingsley Wood
, Woolwich West
In deference to the views of my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, I have given this matter further consideration and an alternative site for this factory is now under investigation.
Mr Walter Higgs
, Birmingham West
Is the Minister aware that if this factory is erected in an industrial area the cost of operation will be considerably less, and does he consider that cost is of paramount importance?
Sir Kingsley Wood
, Woolwich West
There are, of course, other considerations.
Mr. W. John Stewart:
Would the right hon. Gentleman consider erecting a factory in Northern Ireland, where every facility would be given?
Mr Andrew MacLaren
, Stoke-on-Trent Burslem
It is not safe in Northern Ireland.
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.
