Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry. – in the House of Commons at on 9 September 1941.
Sir Charles Lyle
, Bournemouth
asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make any statement on the coal situation, especially in regard to the stocking of this commodity for the coming winter, both by private individuals and by public utilities?
Mr David Grenfell
, Gower
Since the House last met, coal output has been much affected by holidays, and progress in adding to stocks has been slow in consequence. With the added man-power now available I look forward to a rapid improvement in the immediate future.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
Is the Minister not aware that coal stocks in many parts of the country are crumbling into dust because they have been there in some cases for over a year; that old stocks are not being used in preference to new stocks, which are continually being used; and that there is a loss of thousands of tons of coal, in consequence of foolishness on the part of the Minister's Department or of some other Department?
Mr David Grenfell
, Gower
The hon. Member is quite right in calling attention to the age of the coal stocks, some of which are 12 months old, and others many years old. The question of drawing upon old stocks first is very important, and we are taking steps to see that some of the older stocks are used as they are replaced with new.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
Is the Minister aware that permission has been sought for this to be done, but that it has been refused?
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
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.
