Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 December 1947.
Lieut-Colonel Granville Sharp
, Spen Valley
12:00,
9 December 1947
asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Manpower Economy Committee have advised him how manpower economies may be achieved; in what way he has acted on the advice received; and whether he is satisfied with the results obtained.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
This Committee has submitted a first interim report, which is under consideration.
Sir Toby Low
, Blackpool North
Was it as the result of information from this Committee that the right hon. Gentleman suggested on Sunday that the best way to economise on manpower was for the three Services to be combined?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I made a statement to that effect, but I never used the word "combine" in regard to the three Services, and I am not responsible for what appears in one or two newspapers.
Wing Commander Geoffrey Cooper
, Middlesbrough West
When the Minister is reviewing the matter of manpower will he take into account the 17,000-odd Polish Army forces still being kept in idleness by his Department?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
There are never any persons kept in idleness for whom employment can be found.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
Can the right hon. Gentleman give an indication of what is in this interim Report?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
Not without notice.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
