Oral Answers to Questions — Roads – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 May 1955.
Mr Arthur Bottomley
, Rochester and Chatham
12:00,
4 May 1955
asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what representations he has received from the Kent Branch of the National Farmers' Union regarding the proposed Rochester by-pass road.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
None, Sir. The scheme was, however, discussed at an informal meeting in February, 1953, between my divisional road engineer and the Faversham and Sittingbourne branches of the National Farmers' Union.
Mr Arthur Bottomley
, Rochester and Chatham
Can the Minister explain why he sent letters to the Mayor of Rochester and to the Town Clerk of Chatham saying that agricultural interests were holding up the construction of the Rochester by-pass road? Surely he should have consulted the Kent branch of the National Farmers' Union?
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
Either of the branches concerned is perfectly free to make representations to me on a matter affecting their members if they so wish. Indeed, the agricultural aspects of the matter are also matters which I have had to discuss with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
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.
