Part of Prayers – in the House of Commons at 12:19 pm on 28 October 1998.
Norman Baker
Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport), Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport), Shadow Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Shadow Spokesperson (Transport)
12:19,
28 October 1998
We are running out of time. The Minister was asked some specific questions—I counted about 10— which he will not have time to answer. He was open about being on a steep learning curve, so will he undertake to write to hon. Members with the answers that they seek?
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.
