Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 April 1947.
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
12:00,
2 April 1947
Yes, Sir. The Business for the first week after the Easter Recess will be as follows: Tuesday, 15th April.—My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the exchequer will open his Budget.
Wednesday, 16th April, and Thursday, 17th April.—General Debate on the Budget Resolutions.
Friday, 18th April.—Report and Third Reading of the Cotton (Centralised Buying) Bill.
In order to meet the general wishes of the House we arranged for a fuel Debate to take place before Easter, that is, today, and postponed consideration of the Cotton (Centralised Buying) Bill. Following this rearrangement of Business, I think it will be generally understood that we shall obtain the concluding stages of the Cotton (Centralised Buying) Bill in the normal time available on Friday, 18th April.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
