Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance. – in the House of Commons at on 16 October 1941.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore
, Ayr District of Burghs
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now been able to reconsider the composition of the Agricultural Improvement Council for Scotland and the fact that despite the importance of animal farming in Scotland the veterinary profession is not represented thereon; whether inquiries have been made as to why the representation of the veterinary profession was provided for on the parallel body for England and Wales; and whether he will now arrange to make the Scottish Council equally effective for its purpose?
The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Wedderburn):
I would refer to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member on this subject on 24th July. The claim for the appointment of a representative of the veterinary profession on the Agricultural Improvement Council for Scotland was carefully considered, but it was not thought advisable to constitute the Council on the basis of representation of the various sections of the agricultural industry. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries took the same view as regards the Council for England and Wales, and I understand that the member of the veterinary profession who is on the Agricultural Improvement Council for England and Wales was no' appointed as a representative of the profession.
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.
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.
