Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 6 March 1956.
Sir Barnett Stross
, Stoke-on-Trent Central
12:00,
6 March 1956
asked the Minister of Labour the latest available figures of short-time working and total unemployment in Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will give similar figures for the pottery industry only.
Mr Iain Macleod
, Enfield West
The total number of unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Stoke-on-Trent at 13th February was 2,698, of whom 1,414 were registered as temporarily stopped. The corresponding figures for the pottery industry were 1,796 and 1,363.
Sir Barnett Stross
, Stoke-on-Trent Central
Does the Minister realise that this is a very rapid deterioration and that it is due to a combination of factors which I need not now mention? Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any evidence that those who are absorbed in other industries after losing their work in the pottery industry are working in the type of occupation which is useful for our export drive or whether it is mostly for home consumption?
Mr Iain Macleod
, Enfield West
I do not think that any statistics are held which would enable me to answer that supplementary question.
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.
