Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 June 1964.
Mr John Stonehouse
, Wednesbury
12:00,
18 June 1964
Is the Prime Minister aware that there is a great deal of confusion in Europe about which Minister is speaking on this subject with real authority? Is he aware that in the very important interview which the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development gave to Opera Mundi there was no reference to the guarantees to the Commonwealth which many of us regard as being very important? Does the Prime Minister stand by this repudiation of the Commonwealth by the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development?
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
