Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1947.
Mr Frederick Erroll
, Altrincham and Sale
12:00,
27 November 1947
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Government Departments use advertising signs employing a small electric motor driving a windmill which reflects daylight on the sign; and, approximately, how many are in use.
Mr William Hall
, Colne Valley
None, to my knowledge.
Mr Frederick Erroll
, Altrincham and Sale
Would the Minister have a fresh look round? There are quite a few about.
Mr William Hall
, Colne Valley
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will call my attention to them, but I would point out to him that I listened carefully to the answers to the Questions he put to the Minister of Fuel and Power, and I gathered that he dislikes effort to be wasted in inquiries of this kind.
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.
