Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Pensions and National Insurance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 March 1956.
Mr Donald Chapman
, Birmingham, Northfield
12:00,
26 March 1956
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that a woman, separated from her husband, receiving a nominal separation allowance and paying Income Tax and insurance contributions as a single person, receives sickness benefit at the lower rate awarded to a married woman; and what action he is taking to remedy this unjust position.
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.
