Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 3 December 1947.
Mr Robin Turton
, Thirsk and Malton
12:00,
3 December 1947
asked the Minister of Food whether any available foodstuffs have not been bought owing to currency difficulties.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
I would refer the hon. Member to the statements made in this House by the Prime Minister on 6th August, by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton) on 7th August, and by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the exchequer on 23rd October, all of which made it clear that we have reduced our purchases of available foodstuffs, owing to currency difficulties, by a very substantial amount.
Mr Robin Turton
, Thirsk and Malton
Are feedingstuffs included in these categories of foodstuffs?
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.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
