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Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 November 1947.

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Photo of Mrs Leah Manning Mrs Leah Manning , Epping 12:00, 10 November 1947

asked the Minister of Food if there is any administrative difficulty which prevents a doctor from stamping a ration book of a newly-confined woman with the date of her confinement, so that she may continue to get a further two months of queue priority.

Photo of Mr Evelyn Strachey Mr Evelyn Strachey , Dundee

It is not a question of stamping books only. There are many types of invalids who would be justified in asking for priority if these mothers got it. As we depend on the goodwill and kindness of retailers and shoppers for the observance of this scheme, I do not feel that we should add to their difficulties.

Photo of Sir Walter Fletcher Sir Walter Fletcher , Bury

In view of the fact that, when this question was raised before, the Ministry turned it down largely on the grounds of administrative difficulty, will the Minister, now that a specific suggestion has been made, reconsider the matter?

Photo of Mr Evelyn Strachey Mr Evelyn Strachey , Dundee

I am very willing to reconsider it, if a scheme which seems to me to be practicable and not too complicated can be devised and my Ministry are in favour of applying it. I am frightened of complicated schemes, in view of the difficulty of choosing priorities.

Minister

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.