– in the House of Commons am ar 23 Gorffennaf 1924.
Hon. Esmond Harmsworth
, Isle of Thanet
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Norwegian Government are introducing legislation for the punishment of persons inciting workers to strike and preventing others from working; and will he instruct the British Minister at Christiania to watch its effect, if and when passed into law, with a view to considering whether similar legislation should be passed in this country?
Mr Arthur Ponsonby
, Sheffield, Brightside
I have received from His Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Christiania particulars of the proposed legislation to which the hon. Member refers, and will ask him to report on further developments.
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.
