– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 22 March 1945.
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
12:00,
22 March 1945
(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to announce the composition of the British Delegation to the San Francisco Conference.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
Yes, Sir. The four principal United Kingdom delegates will be:
Mr Ronw Hughes
, Carmarthen
May ask the Prime Minister why, in the list which he read out, the Foreign Secretary came first and the Deputy prime minister came second? The right hon. Gentleman said that the Foreign Secretary was going to lead the Delegation. Is there any reason why the Deputy Prime Minister should not lead this Delegation?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would, in the normal practice, lead such a Delegation. The Lord President of the Council would not in ordinary circumstances take the lead of the Foreign Secretary in this matter. The title of Deputy prime minister is a courtesy title and one which has no constitutional authority at the present time. I may say that in this Government, while it lasts—I do not know how long it will last; some would like it to last very much longer, and some people like to fish in troubled waters—
Mr David Kirkwood
, Dumbarton District of Burghs
The right hon. Gentleman is No. 1 fisherman.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
—in this Administration, I say Ministers have not been engaged on a meticulous pushing of their personal claims and questions of etiquette. It was discussed with my right hon. Friend the Deputy prime minister and Lord President of the Council and he entirely agreed with the arrangement that was made. He agreed to it because he is not a self-seeking man and always tries to play the game and do the best he can, which is very much to his honour. I shall always assert that—except at times when we have special questions of difference.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
In view of the large number of Labour Ministers who are included in this Delegation, may we have the assurance of the Prime Minister that no General Election will take place in their absence?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
I think that whatever happens we ought to keep it going until after the San Francisco Conference.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
The Prime Minister, with his very comprehensive knowledge of constitutional history, will recognise that there was a very long time before the Prime Minister's position itself was known to the British Constitution, and in view of the fact that throughout the war, when the Prime Minister has been absent from this country, the Deputy prime minister has acted in his stead, will he explain to the House why, now that the Prime Minister is not going to the San Francisco Conference, the Deputy Prime Minister, who has been active on his behalf, is not on this occasion to be his deputy?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs holds the Seals of State which make him responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs, and the Lord President of the Council—the capacity in which he has elected to go—is not similarly charged under the Constitution.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
That is not an answer at all.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
Is not all this quite consistent with the right hon. Gentleman's declaration at the Conservative Party Conference that the Conservative Party declare that, having got all they wanted in the way of assistance and guidance so far as the war is concerned, they are new going to keep everything which is useful in their hands?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
There could hardly be a more unfair and, I may say, a more characteristic utterance than that of the hon. Gentleman. He has done everything in his power to break up this Government. He hopes to gain after its dissolution what he would never gain while national affairs dominated men's minds. Any fair-minded man would say that the Labour Party have had fair representation in this Government.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
Not from the right hon. Gentleman.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
I am the person responsible for nominating this Delegation, and they have a fair representation in this Delegation. The hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) said so just now. [Interruption.] People have a right to live even if they do not agree with the hon. Member for Seaham (Mr. Shinwell). A large proportion, three Labour Members, will be there, and I must say that I think it is a churlish manner to receive an announcement of this kind, in which all my colleagues are in full agreement. I do not mean with all I have said just now, but the statement on the Delegation in which all my colleagues are agreed.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Is it in Order for any hon. Member in this House to impute unworthy motives to another hon. Member such as have been attributed by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Seaham (Mr. Shinwell)?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
On the same point of Order. I prefer it that way from the Prime Minister.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I can give my reply outside.
Mr John Tinker
, Leigh
Are we to have a discussion in this House before the Delegation goes to San Francisco, as it is important that we should give some lead to the Delegation before they go?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Epping
That question will come on immediately on the discussion of Business.
The office of Deputy Prime Minister is one that has only existed occasionally in the history of the United Kingdom. Unlike analogous offices in other nations, the Deputy Prime Minister does not have any of the powers of the Prime Minister in the latter's absence and there is no presumption that the Deputy Prime Minister will succeed the Prime Minister.
The post has existed intermittently and there have been a number of disputed occasions as to whether or not the title has actually been conferred.
More from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deputy_Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom
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.
In a general election, each constituency chooses an MP to represent it by process of election. The party who wins the most seats in parliament is in power, with its leader becoming Prime Minister and its Ministers/Shadow Ministers making up the new Cabinet. If no party has a majority, this is known as a hung Parliament. The next general election will take place on or before 3rd June 2010.
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.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
