Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 July 1947.
Mr David Renton
, Huntingdonshire
12:00,
14 July 1947
asked the Minister al Food if he will make a statement as to the system of allocation of dried fruits, with particular reference to what percentage thereof is issued to multiple shops as compared with the small individual grocers; and what conditions are attached by his Department to the sale of such fruits.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
Allocations to grocers, whatever the number of shops they control, are based on sugar registrations; and to other retailers on their prewar trade. We do not know what percentages of each allocation go to the various classes of traders, and to extract this information would, I am afraid, take too much time and labour. Dried fruits are subject to maximum prices and Points rationing.
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.
