Oral Answers to Questions — United Nations – in the House of Commons at on 14 October 1942.
Mr Robert Boothby
, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire Eastern
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the proposal of the Chinese Foreign Minister for the setting-up of an executive council of the United Nations; and whether this proposal is receiving the consideration of His Majesty's Government?
Mr Richard Law
, Kingston upon Hull South West
No such proposal has been received by His Majesty's Government. I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to a speech made by Dr. T. V. Soong in New York on nth October, in which he is reported to have advocated the establishment of an executive council of the United Nations to facilitate cooperation between the United Nations both during and after the war. His Majesty's Government are, of course, always prepared to give full consideration to any proposal which they may receive from an Allied Government.
Mr Robert Boothby
, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire Eastern
Before taking any further action would His Majesty's Government require to be approached officially in the matter by the Chinese Government, or can they take action merely on that speech?
Mr Richard Law
, Kingston upon Hull South West
I do not think His Majesty's Government can take action on the report of a speech in a newspaper.
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.
