Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 December 1947.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
12:00,
1 December 1947
asked the Minister of Agriculture why he refused to grant an interview to, and to receive representations from, the appointed Committee of the National Association of Fishery Boards before introducing the River Boards Bill, particulars of which have been sent him; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Frank Soskice
, Birkenhead East
Officials of my right hon. Friend's Department discussed the Government's proposals with representatives of the Association in May, 1945. The matters which the Association proposed to raise last April did not involve any new questions of policy and my right hon. Friend did not consider that any useful purpose would be served by receiving a deputation at that stage. He is, however, seeing representatives from the Association next Thursday.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Will the hon. and learned Gentleman convey to his right hon. Friend the question why, in view of the importance of this matter, he did not have the most open discussion with the authorities; and, further, can he say when the Government will stop giving decisions from Whitehall and not consulting experts in the matter at all?
Sir Frank Soskice
, Birkenhead East
I do not accept the implication of the latter part of the supplementary question. As I said in answer to the Question, discussions did take place.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Not full discussions.
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.
Whitehall is a wide road that runs through the heart of Westminster, starting at Trafalgar square and ending at Parliament. It is most often found in Hansard as a way of referring to the combined mass of central government departments, although many of them no longer have buildings on Whitehall itself.
