Oral Answers to Questions — Local Government – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 June 1964.
Dr Jeremy Bray
, Middlesbrough West
12:00,
9 June 1964
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether sufficient use is being made of the technical services available to local authorities in the regional offices of his department to justify their extension.
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
I am glad to say that very full use is being made of these services, and I have already made plans for their extension as soon as the necessary additional staff can be obtained.
Dr Jeremy Bray
, Middlesbrough West
Can the right hon. Gentleman give fuller details of which particular technical services are in demand?
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
I am expecting nearly to double the number of architects, quantity surveyors and planning, research and estate officers in the Newcastle Regional Office. In Manchester, I am expecting to add six planning research and estate officers, where there have been none, and to increase the number of architects and quantity surveyors by two.
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.
