Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 6 March 1984.
Barry Sheerman
Shadow Spokesperson (Education and Employment)
12:00,
6 March 1984
Will the Minister stop talking about gimmickry, even though often he does not know what is the latest gimmick from his Department, and concentrate his mind, and his Department's mind, on the choice that young people have when they leave school? Should that not depend on their abilities and their inclinations, rather than on the pressure of the market place? Since his Government have destroyed the apprenticeship system, could he not bring in some initiative to give an incentive to young people to stay on at school?
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.
