Oral Answers to Questions — Local Government – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 February 1959.
Bernard Braine
, Essex South East
12:00,
24 February 1959
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what consideration he has given to the reissue of the circular which his predecessor sent to local housing authorities in 1956 instructing them that in considering compensation for the demolition under slum clearance orders of premises held under a weekly tenancy local authorities should have regard to what the compensation might be if such tenancies were leasehold.
Mr Henry Brooke
, Hampstead
My hon. Friend is no doubt referring to the advice given in paragraph 6 of Circular 43, which my predecessor sent to local authorities in 1956. This Circular remains in force and local authorities should continue to be guided by it.
Bernard Braine
, Essex South East
Is my right hon. Friend aware that there have been distressing cases mentioned in the Press at Barking in Essex and Atherstone in Warwickshire? Is he aware that elderly widows have been turned out without compensation at all? It is clear that the terms of the Circular were ignored in those cases. Does not my right hon. Friend think that the attention of such authorities should be drawn again to the existence of the Circular?
Mr Henry Brooke
, Hampstead
This is within the discretionary power of the local authorities, but I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said. Meanwhile, his Question will have served to direct attention to the fact that the Circular still operates.
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.
