Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Transport – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 February 1964.
Mr Tom Driberg
, Barking
12:00,
12 February 1964
Is the Minister aware how very, very lucky not only all of us have been but he in particular has been, that there has not been a repetition of last year's weather, or he might have been sacrificed, justly or unjustly, as a scapegoat? Is the right hon. Gentleman now satisfied that, to take one instance only, the points at Shenfield will no longer freeze up if there is a severe cold snap, as points never now need do?
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.
