Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Information. – in the House of Commons at on 17 December 1941.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
asked the Minister of Information whether he has taken steps to disseminate in Germany, Italy and other Continental countries, the content of a speech by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Munster, in whch he criticised the Nazi régime; and whether he will make available any record of important Germans and Austrians who have expressed hostility to, or criticism of, Nazi principles and practice?
Mr Brendan Bracken
, Paddington North
I do not think it would be in the public interest to give this information.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
Is it not in the public interest to know whether such speeches as those made by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Munster and an equally important speech critical of the Nazi régime by a prominent Protestant German Bishop are being used?
Mr Brendan Bracken
, Paddington North
We are making adequate use of these speeches, but we do not wish to inform Dr. Goebbels of our particular operations.
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.
