Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Science – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 May 1964.
Sir Henry Legge-Bourke
, Isle of Ely
12:00,
14 May 1964
Would my right hon. Friend be prepared to consider again the inevitable emphasis which there must be on policy resulting from the fact that there is really only one customer for the Atomic Energy Authority here in the shape of the Central Electricity Generating Board? Bearing in mind the very considerable potential market which there may be abroad for atomic reactors, would he consider consulting his right hon. Friend the Minister of Power and possibly his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to see whether or not we can work out a system which ensures at least that the single customer factor does not result in our losing overseas markets?
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.
