Oral Answers to Questions — Fuel and Power – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1947.
Mr James Murray
, Spennymoor
12:00,
27 November 1947
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) the amount of petrol produced in this country during 1945 and 1946; and the estimated production in 1947 and 1948 respectively;
(2) the petrol production at Heysham and Billingham I.C.I. in 1945 and 1946; and the estimated production in 1947 and 1948, respectively.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
As the answer involves a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
It is not yet possible to give a firm estimate of 1948 production since, as I have already told the House, proposals for adapting part of the Heysham refinery for the production of motor spirit from imported crude oil are under examination. A decision on this is expected in the near future. The production programme at Billingham is also under review by the I.C.I. I am hoping for a substantial increase on the 1947 production.
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.
