Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Works – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 April 1950.
Mr Ronald Russell
, Wembley South
12:00,
24 April 1950
asked the Minister of Works what effect he anticipates that the increase in the price of petrol will have on the cost of transporting and delivering building materials to housing sites.
Mr Richard Stokes
, Ipswich
The effect of the increase in the price of petrol depends on such a wide variety of circumstances that I am unable to forecast any particular increase in the cost of building.
Mr Ronald Russell
, Wembley South
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there will be a serious increase in the cost of building materials? Will he consider how much effect this rise will have upon the cost of the housing programme?
Mr Richard Stokes
, Ipswich
That is not my opinion, and I should hesitate to give a definite opinion until there has been further experience. The hon. Gentleman should realise that many methods of transport may be involved in the shifting of building materials, and that it does not necessarily follow that this rise will be the cause of serious difficulty.
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.
