Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 8 May 2007.
Michael Weir
Shadow Spokesperson (Work and Pensions), Shadow Spokesperson (Trade and Industry)
2:30,
8 May 2007
Does the Minister accept that the current scientific consensus is that we need a reduction in emissions of 80 per cent. rather than 60 per cent. to prevent climate change raising temperatures by 2°? The new Administration are likely to have a higher target than the UK, so how will that fit into the proposed UK Bill?
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.
