Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 20 October 1949.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
12:00,
20 October 1949
asked the Minister of Labour when and in what form he proposes to publish the result of his investigations into Communist activities prior to and during the recent strike at the London Docks.
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
A history of the events leading up to and during the recent dock strikes has been prepared for the information of the various Departments concerned. I am considering when and in what form it can be given wider circulation.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
Did not the right hon. Gentleman on 20th July, and again on 26th July, give an undertaking that this dossier would be published, and will he say what has caused him to change his mind?
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
I cannot quite understand why the hon. Gentleman thinks I have changed my mind. I said:
I am considering when and in what form it can be given wider circulation.
Mr Philip Piratin
, Stepney Mile End
Why should the right hon. Gentleman be in any doubt about publishing such statements as he thinks are facts? What is the reason for holding it up, because, if he has something strong against the Communist Party, it surely serves the likes of him to publish it?
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
I have twice read my answer which is:
I am considering when and in what form it can be given wider circulation.
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
In view of the Debate which we had and the remarks made by the right hon. Gentleman, can he now give us any indication when he will be able to make the statement? He will remember that before we adjourned the impression we had was that it would be made very soon.
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
There has been delay. I have got the document, but it has been necessary to go rather wide to check the information in it. It is my desire that it should be given the widest possible circulation.
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.
