Business, Innovation and Skills – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 4 March 2010.
Andrew Pelling
Independent, Croydon Central
10:30,
4 March 2010
What progress is being made in preparing for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations.
Ian Lucas
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Business and Regulatory Reform)
Planning for Her Majesty's jubilee is still in its early stages. I made a statement to the House on that matter on
Andrew Pelling
Independent, Croydon Central
Does the Minister agree that we would do well to follow the lead of the Secretary of State's grandfather by having a festival of Britain in 2012, when so many people will be coming to the UK for the Olympics? We could celebrate business talents, perhaps a recovering economy and what we have to offer outside the financial sector in terms of manufacturing and technology.
Ian Lucas
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Business and Regulatory Reform)
The great 1945 Labour Government made a very wise decision in instigating the festival of Britain, and I am pleased that the hon. Gentleman is offering positive suggestions about Her Majesty's diamond jubilee. We are willing to listen to such suggestions from those in all parts of the House, because it is of course an occasion that we must all celebrate.
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.
