Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies. – in the House of Commons at on 21 February 1940.
Vice-Admiral Taylor:
asked the Minister of Food whether the officers and men of the Mercantile Marine are allowed extra rations when on leave, in the same way as these extra rations are allowed to the officers and men of the Navy, Army and Air Force?
Mr William Morrison
, Cirencester and Tewkesbury
Officers and men of the merchant navy are allowed the full rations prescribed under the Merchant Shipping Act when they are on service. As the rations supplied to adult civilians are adequate I do not think it is necessary to prescribe an additional ration for seamen when they are on leave in this country or between voyages.
Mr William Morrison
, Cirencester and Tewkesbury
Yes, that is so. It is a condition of service of a man in the fighting Services that he should be entitled to his scale of rations, no matter where he is stationed.
Vice-Admiral Taylor:
Is my right hon. Friend aware that the conditions of service of the men in the Mercantile Marine are just as arduous and strenuous as those in the fighting Services, and if the officers and men in the Navy, Army and Air Force are entitled to extra rations when on leave, are not men of the Mercantile Marine also entitled to them?
Mr William Morrison
, Cirencester and Tewkesbury
I am grateful for the service of the Mercantile Marine and when the men are on service they get a special scale which is in excess of the ordinary adult ration. The position hitherto adopted is that as they are not members of the fighting Services they do not get the same ration at home as they do on service. My mind, however, is not closed in the matter.
Mr William Morrison
, Cirencester and Tewkesbury
There is no lack of sympathy and appreciation for this important service.
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.
