Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 July 1947.
Mr John Hare
, Woodbridge
12:00,
14 July 1947
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on the hitherto unknown disease affecting barley in East Anglia; and whether any steps can be taken to counter the disease either for this harvest crop or in future years.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
The condition to which the hon. Member refers has appeared only this month and its cause and extent are now being actively investigated. I cannot usefully make a statement at present.
Mr John Hare
, Woodbridge
Will the right hon. Gentleman see that early steps are taken to deal with this disease because what is happening is causing great uncertainty in East Anglia? The right hon. Gentleman will agree that it would be wise to allay the fears in the minds of many farmers.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
I can assure the hon. Member that the problem is being actively investigated by the National Agricultural Advisory Service.
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.
