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Business of the House

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 February 1947.

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Proceedings on any Motion for the Adjournment of the House moved by a Minister of the Crown exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House) for One hour after Ten o'clock.—[Mr. Arthur Greenwood.]

Adjournment of the House

An adjournment is a break in the course of parliamentary business.

The House adjourns at the end of each day's business.

On a daily basis the House adjourns, or breaks, half an hour after the moving of the adjournment debate.

The House is also adjourned for several holiday periods during the session.

The more lengthy adjournments - often coinciding with the academic calendar - are known as recesses.

Minister

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.