Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Works – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 November 1947.
Sir Arthur Harvey
, Macclesfield
12:00,
24 November 1947
asked the Minister of Works how many contracts for which his Department is responsible have been stopped or delayed by the shortage of skilled masons.
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
No contracts have been stopped, but the general shortage of these craftsmen has delayed the rate of progress in some cases.
Sir Arthur Harvey
, Macclesfield
Was the right hon. Gentleman consulted before import licences for nearly half a million pounds worth of marble and stone slabs were granted?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
Yes, Sir. This was done deliberately so that apprenticeship schemes could be carried out.
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.
