Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 8 December 1949.
The Minister of Education (Mr. Tomlinson): I:
understand that four of the eight approved examining bodies intend, with the concurrence of the Secondary School Examinations Council, to offer a second examination for the general certificate of education in 1951, mainly at the ordinary level. It will, however, be available only for candidates of 16 years of age or more on 1st September, 1951.
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.
