Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Commerce – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 July 1947.
Professor William Gruffydd
, University of Wales
12:00,
10 July 1947
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed his discussions with the Minister of Education; and if, in view of the disastrous lack of books in schools and colleges of all grades and of the need to make full use of the additional year due to the raised school-leaving age, he is now prepared, in allocating paper, to give a definite priority to books for schools and colleges.
Sir Stafford Cripps
, Bristol East
In agreement with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education, I am now reserving a quarter of the allocation of paper for books for educational or export purposes, with the proviso that the same proportion as hitherto of the remaining three-quarters shall also be used for educational books. In addition 1,000 tons of the special reserve of 1,500 tons is earmarked for educational text books.
Professor William Gruffydd
, University of Wales
Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that his statement will be received with very great delight in the schools?
Mr Henry Harris
, Cambridge University
Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say how the quota is divided between export and educational books?
Sir Stafford Cripps
, Bristol East
That is left to the discretion of the publisher.
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.
