Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 April 1947.
Mr. McKie:
asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement regarding future plans for the aerodrome at West Freugh, Wigtownshire.
Mr Philip Noel-Baker
, Derby
I hope that the airfield at West Freugh will be released for agriculture before the end of 1947.
Mr. McKie:
Is the Minister aware that a good deal of consternation has been caused in the district lately at the idea that the aerodrome is to be closed?
Mr Philip Noel-Baker
, Derby
I am advised that the units which are now there would be better moved elsewhere, and that the land is first-class agricultural land.
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.
