Oral Answers to Questions — Mauritius – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 March 1947.
Mr Henry Hynd
, Hackney Central
12:00,
12 March 1947
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what price is paid for Mauritius sugar bought by Britain; and whether he is satisfied that this price gives a sufficient return to enable the Mauritius planters and their employees to attain a satisfactory standard of life.
Mr. Creech Jones:
The price to be paid by the Ministry of Food for the 1947 Mauritius sugar crop is £24 15s. 9d. per ton c.i.f. U.K. ports. I am satisfied that this increased price will give a reasonable return to planters and I am arranging for part of it to be set aside for rehabilitation of equipment and for price stabilisation in later years. Wages will share in the improved sugar price and it is also proposed to pay out of it a contribution towards labour welfare. But the main effort towards raising living standards must be concentrated on long-term schemes of development and welfare, to which I am giving attention.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Arising out of that answer, I should like to ask you, Mr. Speaker, a question. If the Secretary of State for the Colonies can give the price paid by this Government for bulk purchase, what means can I take to ensure that the Minister of Food will give similar information?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
I cannot really answer these technical questions. I have no knowledge of these things.
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 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.
