Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 July 1947.
Brigadier Ralph Rayner
, Totnes
12:00,
10 July 1947
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the appeal which is being made to the textile industry to increase its hours of work in order to increase production is to be extended to the coalmining industry; and at what date and under what circumstances.
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.
