– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 August 1947.
Mr John Williams
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
12:00,
12 August 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the tenure of business premises in Scotland will be issued.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for South Aberdeen (Lady Grant) on 22nd July.
Mr John Williams
, Glasgow Kelvingrove
Is my right hon. Friend aware that a large number of small business people are looking to him for protection from insecurity of tenure, which they have endured so long?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
I am aware that there are a fair number of people who are anxious to have the report of the Committee. This Committee has now completed its task of taking evidence and considering the evidence, and has promised to report as early as possible.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore
, Ayr District of Burghs
Will the right hon. Gentleman take any action before the House reassembles, as this matter has been hanging fire for a long time?
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Stirling and Falkirk District of Burghs
The answer is that no Minister can take any action until he has seen the report and considered it.
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.
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.
