Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Industry – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 November 1973.
Mr Thomas Torney
, Bradford South
12:00,
19 November 1973
Is the Minister aware that there is grave discontent in the city of Bradford among workers employed by Associated Weavers because of the proposed take-over by an American company? Is he aware that the trade union concerned has been in contact with me because the factory is in my Constituency? Will he investigate the take-over and try to ensure that that rather large firm, employing many Bradford people, stays British?
A group of workers who have united to promote their common interests.
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.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
