Oral Answers to Questions — Civil Defence. – in the House of Commons at on 19 June 1941.
Sir John Mellor
, Tamworth
asked the Minister of Health whether he will supply an analysis of the average cost to householders of persons billeted upon them?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
An analysis of the average expenditure by householders on evacuated persons could only be obtained by a series of detailed local investigations of a type which hardly seems justified at the present time.
Sir John Mellor
, Tamworth
How can my right hon. Friend insist that the billeting allowances are adequate if he is unable to give any figure?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
I cannot answer that supplementary question in a supplementary answer. The allowance does, of course, take a number of factors into account, and these factors have been taken into account and a change made at least twice since the original allowances were made.
Sir John Mellor
, Tamworth
When will the Minister take an opportunity to give me this very important information?
Mr Ernest Brown
, Leith
On the appropriate occasion.
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.
