Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force. – in the House of Commons at on 21 February 1940.
Mr. Graham White asked:
the Secretary of State for the Colonies in view of the forthcoming meeting of the International Committee for Tin Control, whether he will see that no reduction or alteration of the quota is made unless he is satisfied that it will not interfere with the maximum use of Malaya tin resources in the prosecution of the war?
Mr. M. MacDonald:
The quota decision rests with the International Tin Committee, but I feel sure that the Malayan and Nigerian delegations will continue to maintain the interests of the Governments which they represent in the Committee, including their interest in the effective prosecution of the war.
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.
