Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Works – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 November 1947.
Sir Edward Keeling
, Twickenham
12:00,
24 November 1947
asked the Minister of Works whether he proposes to set up a committee of Members to advise him on matters arising during the rebuilding and furnishing of the new House of Commons.
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
Yes, Sir, I have decided to set up a committee for this purpose. The right hon. and gallant Member for Gainsborough (Captain Crookshank) and the hon. Members for Rothwell (Mr. T. J. Brooks), Mitcham (Mr. Braddock), the Forest of Dean (Mr. Philips Price), West Willesden (Mr. Viant), East Toxteth (Mr. Buchan-Hepburn) and North Cumberland (Mr. W. Roberts) have consented to serve on it under my chairmanship. The Committee will be informal, and its terms of reference will be to advise me on the interpretation of the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on Rebuilding on questions of detail connected with the new Chamber, as they arise.
Mr Ronald Ross
, County Londonderry
Are questions of taste to be confined entirely to English Members?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
I think I may say that this committee was arranged through the usual channels. I am not therefore responsible for the selection of those with the necessary taste for the job.
Sub-Lieutenant Herschel Austin
, Stretford
Will my right hon. Friend see that locker accommodation is improved in the new House of Commons, as the present locker accommodation is hopelessly inadequate?
Mr William Brown
, Rugby
Does the right hon.. Gentleman notice that, this Committee having been arranged through the usual channels which are not open to Independent Members, there are no 'Independent Members upon the Committee? Are we to draw from that the assumption that there will be no accommodation for Independent Members?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
No, Sir. I think the conclusion to be drawn is that Independent Members make their wishes known quite satisfactorily under present arrangements.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
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.
