Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 November 1947.
Mr Percy Wells
, Faversham
12:00,
24 November 1947
asked the Minister of Agriculture the present strength of the Women's Land Army; the numbers recruited during the past six months; and the number which it has been found impossible to place in immediate employment.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
The enrolled strength of the Women's Land Army on 18th November was 26,808, and on that date 146 recruits were awaiting places. Some 8,178 volunteers were enrolled in the preceding six months.
Mr Anthony Hurd
, Newbury
Can the Minister tell us what the wastage was; was there a net increase?
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
The wastage over the same period was somewhere about 8,000, many of whom were entitled to release according to their contract.
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.
