Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 November 1947.
Mr Jon Rankin
, Glasgow Tradeston
12:00,
11 November 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to prepare an Economic Survey of Scotland for 1948 and if it will include an import and export balance sheet for Scotland.
Mr Arthur Woodburn
, Clackmannan and Eastern
I am considering whether it is desirable to supplement in a separate publication about Scotland the Economic Survey for 1948 which, as my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Economic Affairs has indicated, it is hoped to publish not later than January. I am afraid that it would not be possible to compile a balance sheet of the kind referred to in the last part of the Question.
Mr Jon Rankin
, Glasgow Tradeston
While thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask will he not consider as a supplement to the Economic Survey the publication of a balance sheet of this nature?
Mr Arthur Woodburn
, Clackmannan and Eastern
The point is that England and Scotland have become rather like Siamese twins; and it is just as difficult to cut them apart as it is to cut living people apart.
Commander Thomas Galbraith
, Glasgow Pollok
If the right hon. Gentleman decides to issue such a survey, will he see that time is given on the Floor of the House to debate it?
Mr Arthur Woodburn
, Clackmannan and Eastern
That is not a question for me.
Captain Harry Crookshank
, Gainsborough
It cannot be a balance sheet because the sides do not balance.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
