Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture. – in the House of Commons am ar 28 Gorffennaf 1924.
Major Hugh Meyler
, Blackpool
asked the Minister of Agriculture in what districts is labour imported from France to be utilised for fruit picking; what number of foreign labourers will be employed; and whether he can find employment for this purpose for the large number of persons who are out of work in this country instead of importing foreign labour?
Mr Noel Buxton
, Norfolk Northern
So far as I am aware, no workers are being imported from abroad for the purpose of fruit picking, nor is my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, under whose jurisdiction the matter lies, likely to agree to the issue of permits for such importation whilst so many persons are out of work in this country.
Major Hugh Meyler
, Blackpool
Did not the right hon. Gentleman state last week that such labour was to be imported?
Mr Noel Buxton
, Norfolk Northern
No; I said that I had received a request to be allowed to import, but that I would not agree to it.
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.
