Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Housing. – in the House of Commons am ar 2 Mai 1923.
Mr George Lansbury
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that for the past 30 years the Poplar Council, and before the Poplar Council the Poplar District Board of Works, has been representing to the central authorities these areas, and that as long ago as 1920 ten areas were represented to the London County Council, and two years ago the right hon. Gentleman's own Department held an inquiry, and not a single one of these areas has been dealt with, and children, women and men are suffering—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech!"] The right hon. Gentleman makes a statement. Is he also aware that at least a dozen deputations have been to the Minister of Health on this very subject?
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.
