Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 June 1947.
Mr Jon Rankin
, Glasgow Tradeston
12:00,
10 June 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish local authorities have plans which have been approved for small-size dwellings.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
Out of 69.500 houses for which tenders had been approved up to 4th June, go were of two-apartments. 14 were of one-apartment and 69 single apartments were contained in two hostels. The number of local authorities involved was seven.
Mr Alfred Bossom
, Maidstone
Could the Minister state how many different groups of architects examine these drawings before they are approved?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
I could not say without notice, and even then it might not be worth the time spent upon it. The object is to build houses for the people.
Mr Jon Rankin
, Glasgow Tradeston
Are the small-size dwellings designed specifically to meet the needs of the elderly people?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
Not necessarily only the elderly people. The recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Housing in Scotland referred to single persons, who themselves may not be elderly.
Mr Alfred Bossom
, Maidstone
Is the Minister aware that the desire is to build houses and not to waste time by letting several groups of the same type of men examine the same drawings?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
There is little waste of time so far as Scotland is concerned.
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.
