Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 6 December 1973.
Mr John Fraser
, Lambeth Norwood
12:00,
6 December 1973
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have a further meeting with the Fire Brigades Union.
Mr Robert Carr
, Mitcham
I have no present plans for a further meeting.
Mr John Fraser
, Lambeth Norwood
Will the Home Secretary meet the union when the report of the Pay Board on the pay negotiations is published? Will he ensure that the report on the firemen's pay settlement will be made as soon as possible, in the interests both of the public and of good industrial relations? Will the Minister publish the report, which will be of considerable interest not only to firemen but to policemen, ambulance drivers and many other workers in the public service?
Mr Robert Carr
, Mitcham
I have no plans, I have not made any promises, and I have not been asked to promise, to meet the union after the publication of the report. If, when the report is completed, the union wishes to see me I shall consider that request. Questions on how Pay Board reports are dealt with are for my right hon. Friend.
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.
