Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies. – in the House of Commons at on 17 December 1941.
Mr Osbert Peake
, Leeds North
The Home Secretary entirely agrees that the law must be sternly enforced against all persons who hinder the war effort by illicit trading practices or by promoting illicit drinking or gambling. Defence Regulations have already been made to facilitate police action against drinking resorts, and further provisions to deal with gambling resorts are under consideration. Recent Regulations have also provided for large increases in the penalties for offences against the food control regulations, and active measures are, it is understood, being taken by the Minister of Labour and National Service to deal with evasions of military service. My hon. Friend will see, therefore, that the powers he suggests already exist or are under consideration.
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.
