Part of Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 July 1964.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Fife West
12:00,
28 July 1964
Does not the Prime Minister agree that it would be a good idea to have a week or a fortnight of debate in this House in early September to discuss questions such as that raised by my right hon. Friend the Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell)? Does not the Prime Minister recognise that there will be a smell of blood in the air at that time—blue blood particularly—and does he not recognise that in addition to this question there is an economic crisis looming up, as his matchstick exercises will have convinced him? In view of those circumstances, would not he agree that it would be in the public interest to have at least a week to debate these issues?
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.
