– in the House of Commons at on 24 March 1943.
Mr John Tinker
, Leigh
May I call attention to Question 74? I put this Question down to the Prime Minister. It was accepted by the Clerk at the Table and appeared on the Order Paper addressed to the Prime Minister. Since then I have received word that the Prime Minister is not answering it and that it is to be put down for answer by the Chancellor of the exchequer. When a Member gets a Question past the Clerk at the Table—and it requires a little ingenuity to do that—and on the Order Paper, by whose authority is it addressed to another Minister? I believe that one of the Clerks or one of the secretaries of the Prime Minister has said that it should be addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and that that is the reason for its being transferred. Has anybody authority to override the Clerk at the Table?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
I understand that the Prime Minister delegates authority to other Ministers to answer Questions if they are not his immediate concern. That is usually the practice. No doubt on this occasion the Prime Minister has noticed the Question on the Order Paper, and therefore the hon. Member has achieved his object.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
I was consulted on this Question, and it was decided between me and the Chancellor of the exchequer that it would be appropriate for him to take it.
Mr John Tinker
, Leigh
In that case I withdraw my objection. I did not think that the right hon. Gentleman had seen the Question.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, Swindon
When a question which has been addressed to one Minister is transferred to another Minister, could it be put on the day on which Questions are properly answered by the Minister to whom it is transferred?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
If a Member puts a Question down to the wrong Minister, he must stand the racket of having it put down for the wrong day.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
It also gives details of when and where the standing committees and select committees of the Commons will be meeting.
Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
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.
