Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 November 1947.
Mr Stephen Swingler
, Stafford
12:00,
11 November 1947
asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the changed circumstances since the publication of the Economic Survey for 1947, he will give revised estimates of the distribution of manpower necessary to achieve the Government's objectives, particularly in respect of the expansion of the numbers employed in the coalmining, agricultural and textile industries.
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 30th October to his previous Question on this subject, to which I have nothing at present to add.
Mr Stephen Swingler
, Stafford
In view of the fact that the figures given in the Economic Survey are entirely out of date and that another Economic Survey is not expected until next January, does not my right hon. Friend think that the House is entitled to have some statement from the Government on this question?
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
The answer I gave previously was to the effect that the preparation of an Economic Survey for 1948 is under consideration, and I can tell my hon. Friend that we are now getting on with that.
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.
