Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 30 June 1947.
Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchison:
asked the Minister of Works whether he will now derequisition the premises owned by the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company at Nos. 10–11, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, in order that the railway company may proceed with its scheme for converting these premises into six separate dwelling houses for the use of employees of the company who are at present inadequately housed.
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
I regret that the retention of these premises by my Department is necessary owing to the shortage of office accommodation in Edinburgh.
Lieut.-Commander Hutchison:
In view of the recommendations contained in the recent Report of the Select Committee on Estimates, will the Minister do his best to expedite the release of these premises?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
Most certainly.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, St Marylebone
Could not use be made of ships in the Firth of Forth?
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.
