Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Supply. – in the House of Commons at on 9 April 1941.
Major Braithwaite:
asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that many owners of commercial road wagons are unable to obtain spare parts for their machines, and in. consequence large numbers of transport lorries engaged on important Government work are laid up; and whether he will.take some steps to remedy this situation?
Sir Andrew Duncan
, City of London
I am aware that owing to the heavy demands on the productive capacity of this country for Service purposes, certain spare parts for commercial vehicles are in short supply. Arrangements for improving the situation are, however, in hand.
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.
