Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Commerce – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 May 1947.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
12:00,
13 May 1947
In view of the fact that the Minister of Food refuses to dis- close details of these purchases and the taxpayer has to bear the loss, will the hon. Gentleman not consider the suggestion to set up this committee so that the whole country may know the details?
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.
