Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Local Government – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 October 1969.
Miss Irene Ward
, Tynemouth
12:00,
14 October 1969
I thank the Minister for that reply, but will he bear in mind that St. Paul's and its surroundings are of great concern to almost everyone in the country, and, indeed, in the world? Will he undertake to let the House of Commons have the information available to his Department so that we also may have an opportunity of expressing our views on whatever decisions are being taken?
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
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.
