Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 16 December 1964.
Mr Henry Brewis
, Galloway
12:00,
16 December 1964
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what major improvements he proposes to make to the A.75 trunk road between Dumfries and stranraerduring1965–66.
Mr William Ross
, Kilmarnock
I hope to authorise shortly an improvement scheme at Shennanton Corner, west of Newton Stewart, and in 1965–66 a new bridge and realignment of the carriageway at Ferry Bridge, Creetown. Meanwhile work is proceeding on the widening of the Fleet Bridge at Gatehouse of Fleet.
Mr Henry Brewis
, Galloway
I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, but is not this road far below the trunk road standard? In view of the heavy traffic increase in the last few years, is not very much more needed to bring it up to standard?
Mr William Ross
, Kilmarnock
There is to be increased traffic on this road as a result of the decision of the former Minister of Transport to close the railways, but I am informed that the road is still adequate for the traffic which will come on to it, although certain improvements in various parts of the road are required. These will be dealt with.
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.
