Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 July 1947.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
12:00,
14 July 1947
asked the Minister of Food if it is proposed to continue the issue of posters published by the Bureau of Current Affairs to local food offices; what has been the cost of such issues in the last year; and what instructions have been issued to local food officers regarding the use to which these posters should be put.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
I cannot yet say what we shall do next year, but this year we have ordered 1,300 sets at 15s. per set of 26 copies. The posters are intended to make food offices and waiting roams more interesting to visitors.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
In view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, does he consider that it is advisable in a Government-run establishment to exhibit posters saying, "How right is Bevin?"—[An HON. MEMBER: "Telling the truth."]—and "Bevin's Foreign 'Affaires,'" and does he not consider that that would only tend to cause dissatisfaction with His Majesty's Government's foreign policy?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
I do not know whether the hon. and gallant Member dislikes these posters because they are critical of the Government, or too favourable to the Government. I think it shows that they are very impartial.
Mr George Chetwynd
, Stockton-on-Tees
Would my right hon. Friend send two copies to each food office so that the public can see both sides of the posters at the same time?
Mr Frank Beswick
, Uxbridge
Is my right hon. Friend aware that although there may be hon. Members opposite who do not wish for thought to be provoked by these posters, most people will appreciate the stand my right hon. Friend has taken in refusing to be panicked by questioning from the other side in the same way as the Secretary of State for War?
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
May we have an assurance that the right hon. Gentleman is in agreement with what the Prime Minister told us a short time ago?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
Certainly, the right hon. Gentleman can have that assurance.
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
Then why did he not say so?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
The Prime Minister accepted the criticism of one particular poster in this series.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
Would the right hon. Gentleman care to look at Poster No. 17 which gave some figures and pictures bearing on rationing that are statistically inaccurate and definitely misleading?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
No, Sir, I passed the poster most carefully myself. It is statistically correct.
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.
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.
