Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Armed Forces – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 April 1947.
Mr George Chetwynd
, Stockton-on-Tees
12:00,
2 April 1947
asked the Minister of Defence how many of the estimated total of 20,000 deserters at large in the United Kingdom on 22nd January, 1947, have surrendered voluntarily between that date and 31st March, 1947; how many have been sentenced; and what steps will be taken to deal with deserters still at large.
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.
