Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 November 1947.
Mr Emrys Hughes
, South Ayrshire
12:00,
10 November 1947
asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that Sir John Boyd Orr, director general of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, has announced the danger of a complete breakdown in the structure of human society if far reaching action -is not immediately taken to deal with current food shortages; and what steps His Majesty's Government are taking to prevent this possibility.
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
We are doing our utmost to ensure increased production of essential foodstuffs by such projects as our own agricultural programme announced in August, the East African groundnut scheme for providing increased quantities of fats, and by the plan which we are developing with other countries, both within and without the Commonwealth, for helping them to increase large scale food production in suitable parts of the world.
Mr Emrys Hughes
, South Ayrshire
Can my right hon. Friend assure us that the Government delegates at the Food and Agricultural Organisation of U.N.O. are giving the utmost support to Sir John Boyd Orr?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
Yes, Sir. We so describe the contribution we are making, which I have just mentioned; and we shall welcome any suggestions for anything further that we can do.
Mr Edward Fleming
, Manchester, Withington
Would the right hon. Gentleman consult with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture as to increasing the number of allotments in cities like Manchester?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
Yes, Sir.
Mr Hector Hughes
, Aberdeen North
Having regard to the enormous importance of the matter in the main Question, will my right hon. Friend consider issuing a white paper on the subject?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
Yes, Sir.
Sir Walter Fletcher
, Bury
Will the right hon. Gentleman take urgent steps to see that the large stock of groundnuts lying at Kano, which includes last year's stock, can be brought into use more rapidly?
Mr Evelyn Strachey
, Dundee
I am aware that that is a point of the very greatest importance.
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.
A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
