Oral Answers to Questions — National Health Service – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 20 October 1949.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
12:00,
20 October 1949
asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the issue of a special badge to be worn by blood donors.
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
The issue of badges to blood donors who fulfil the qualifying conditions has already been approved by the King and I hope that it will be possible to make the first presentations in the early part of next year.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
Can my right hon. Friend say whether these badges will be retrospective in effect, in the sense that previous donors will qualify?
Mr Aneurin Bevan
, Ebbw Vale
Nearly 20,000 badges have been ordered and tenders have been invited for another order of the same size, so I understand that some of them will at least be retrospective.
Sub-Lieutenant Herschel Austin
, Stretford
Will my right hon. Friend consider the setting up of a blood donors' establishment in the Palace of Westminster, both for the necessary purpose of blood-letting among Members of Parliament and of setting a good example to the country?
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.
