Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 November 1947.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
12:00,
10 November 1947
asked the Minister of Food what, in convenient categories, are the salaries paid to the 161 potato supervisors and the 555 merchant agents who buy potatoes from growers; what is their cost to the taxpayer, including salaries, office space and travelling and subsistence allowances; and how many clerks are employed under them; and what is their cost.
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.
