Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 March 1947.
Mr William Snadden
, Kinross and Western
12:00,
4 March 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tractor-binders and Fordson tractors have been allocated to Scotland for the 1947 harvest.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
138 imported tractor binders have been allocated to Scotland for the 1947 harvest. There is no allocation system for the distribution of home-produced binders but I am informed that the manufacturers hope to meet all Scottish orders on hand for tractor binders for this year's harvest. In addition, although production is restricted, the Ford Motor Company expect to deliver 500 Fordson tractors to Scotland between 1st March and mid-August against orders approved by agricultural executive committees.
Mr William Snadden
, Kinross and Western
Is the Secretary of State aware that tractor allocation is completely inadequate in my own area, for, whereas 60 have been applied for, only 10 have been allocated, which is quite impossible?
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
Can the Minister state whether Scotland is getting more than her fair share compared with England?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
That is not the Question on the Order Paper.
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.
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
