Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 March 1947.
Sir Martin Lindsay
, Solihull
12:00,
13 March 1947
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he hopes to be in a position to allow householders to change their coal retailers.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I regret that I can see no immediate prospect of granting the relaxation suggested.
Sir Martin Lindsay
, Solihull
While I appreciate the necessity for the regulation as it exists at present, does not the Minister think it possible to administer it with less rigidity in order to allow those householders who are dissatisfied to change to other retailers when these deliver very close to their homes?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I am very anxious to meet the views of household coal consumers, but the suggestion which the hon. Member makes would create more dislocation than exists at present.
Mr George Walker
, Rossendale
Can the Minister do anything to prevent half a dozen coal distributors delivering in the same street?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
So far, we do not regulate coal retailers in that sense. One of these days we may have to.
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.
