Oral Answers to Questions — Food Supplies – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 December 1949.
Sir Archer Baldwin
, Leominster
12:00,
14 December 1949
asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the Home Parcel Service operating from India by which food parcels are dispatched to the United Kingdom; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this loss of exchange.
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations is in communication with the Government of India on this matter.
Sir Archer Baldwin
, Leominster
Since this food is apparently available in the world, is there any reason why the Ministry of Food should not purchase these parcels and have them distributed fairly in this country, and do away with this parcels racket that is going on?
Dr Edith Summerskill
, Fulham West
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put that question down.
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.
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.
