Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 March 1993.
Clare Short
, Birmingham, Ladywood
12:00,
18 March 1993
Is it not the truth that the report recommended a strengthening of further education provision in Northern Ireland, but also recommended some mergers and closures? The Minister has accepted the mergers and the closures but found no new money. He is using the report as an excuse for cuts rather than for a strengthening of the service.
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.
