– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 August 1947.
Mr David Gammans
, Hornsey
12:00,
12 August 1947
asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the further hardships which will be imposed on the British people by the Government's austerity measures, he proposes to recommend a reduction in the salaries and emoluments of Ministers of the Crown and of Members of Parliament.
Mr David Gammans
, Hornsey
Is the Prime Minister aware that what this country needs today is not exhortation but example; and if I am prepared to suffer a 10 per cent. or 20 per cent. cut in my salary, as a gesture, will Members of the Cabinet do the same?
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
I have said that in my view there should be equality of sacrifice. I think Members of Parliament do valuable work, and I do not think it is right to single them out from everybody else.
Mr Ronald Chamberlain
, Lambeth Norwood
Does the Prime Minister not agree that he has a prior duty to stop the huge profits and swollen dividends that are being declared daily?
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
