Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 February 1947.
Mr Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
, Bedford
12:00,
11 February 1947
asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he approved the arrangements made by the general officer commanding the 53rd Division in the British zone of Germany for requisitioning, in connection with a private party, the ss. "Mainz," and for her towage to the Hüllstrung Harbour, where a specially constructed landing stage is to be erected to connect her with Düsseldorf Yacht Club; and whether, in view of the effect of these plans on German public opinion, he will have them cancelled;
(2) whether it was with his approval that the general officer commanding the 53rd Division in the British zone of Germany recently ordered the closure of a section of the Autobahn for use as a car park and extensive alterations to be made at the yacht club at Düsseldorf, both in connection with a private party.
Mr. H. D. Hughes:
asked the Secretary of State for War the expenditure of manpower, transport, food and drink, in the celebrations of the transfer of 53rd Welsh Division to 2nd Infantry Division at Düsseldorf.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
No prior approval was or needed to be sought from me for this private celebration of an important stage in the history of a Division with a great record. There was no expenditure from public funds involved, the celebrations being paid for from the private mess funds. The ship "Mainz" was not requisitioned but was hired commercially, as was the landing stage. No section of any Autobahn was closed but a former military car park was reopened temporarily. Certain alterations that were made at the club formed part of the long-term plan to improve the amenities there, the only special provision being the erection of the usual temporary awnings.
Mr Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
, Bedford
Does the Minister not agree that the holding of this party at all was most undesirable? [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] In view of the conditions in which it was held.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
Generally speaking, I have no objection to private parties either military or civil. As far as military parties are concerned in Germany, I am certainly of the opinion that there should be no ostentation, and I think hon. Members in all parts of the House would agree with the statement I have made in that respect.
Mr. Hughes:
While I do not wish to detract from the very fine record in the war of this Division, in which I had the honour to serve, will the right hon. Gentleman take further steps, in view of the last part of his final reply, to circulate to all military units in Germany instructions that there shall be no lavish display and expenditure on food and houses while the conditions of life are such as they are today?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
Although I have no reason to believe that such is the case, I shall certainly be only too glad to make that representation to the General Officer Commanding the Rhine Army.
Mr Evelyn King
, Penryn and Falmouth
Can the Minister say if any Germans were deprived of accommodation which they previously possessed in the "Mainz," and if so, how many?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
Not arising out of this party.
Mr Richard Stokes
, Ipswich
Is my right hon. Friend aware, whatever his other information, that this affair was vulgarly advertised? Will he impress upon the occupying Force that their business is to be available but invisible, and not to induge in these Herrenvolk activities?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
I would ask my hon. Friend, who himself served in the Force, to try to view this matter in its right perspective. As I have said, any blatancy is to be deprecated but, on the other hand, I do not think that this celebration took in any way the form in which it has been presented in the Press, as something of an orgy.
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 House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
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.
