Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 December 1947.
Colonel Wheatley:
asked the Secretary of State for Air why the sailing of a party of pilot cadets for South Africa on s.s. "Stirling Castle" on 4th December was cancelled on 28th November, after the cadets had drawn their tropical kit, etc., on 25th November.
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.