Oral Answers to Questions — National Health Insurance. – in the House of Commons am ar 16 Gorffennaf 1925.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the growing increase in the number of charges against persons accused of performing illegal operations; and will he consider the introduction of legislation that will empower local authorities to provide the necessary knowledge of birth-control methods to working-class mothers?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:
No, Sir. I have consulted the Secretary of State, who has no evidence of any growing increase in the number of charges. There has, in fact, been a substantial decrease since 1919. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave to the hon Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle) on the 11th June.
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.
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.
