Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Supply. – in the House of Commons at on 19 December 1941.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, Swindon
asked the Parlialiamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply whether, in view of the lack of supervision now being exercised by St. Thomas's and other hospitals in the sending out of circulars with the consequent wasteful expenditure of time, money and paper, he will now prohibit such circulation?
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
I do not feel we should be justified in prohibiting charitable circulars altogether, and I am sure we can rely upon the co-operation of charitable institutions in avoiding any waste of paper.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, Swindon
Will the Minister consider instituting an inquiry into the method of sending out these various circulars so as to avoid so many being sent to people now deceased, or to old addresses? Cannot what happened in my own case be avoided? A circular was sent by St. Thomas's Hospital to my grandmother who has been dead for nearly four years asking to purchase her land, although she never owned any land in her life.
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
We are aware of the desirability of saving paper, but I would not like to make it impossible for these staffs to carry on their task of collecting for charity.
Mr George Mathers
, Linlithgowshire
Is not much paper wasted in the publication of filthy so-called literature?
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.
