– in the House of Commons am ar 2 Rhagfyr 1931.
Sir James Rodd
, St Marylebone
asked the Prime Minister whether any decision has been taken with regard to the British representation at the Disarmament Conference at Geneva in February next?
Mr Ramsay Macdonald
, Seaham
The full composition of the British delegation to the Disarmament Conference has not yet been completely settled, but the following members of the Cabinet will form part of the delegation, namely, myself, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, the Secretary of State for War, the Secretary of State for Air, and the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Captain Sir Peter Macdonald
, Isle of Wight
Will the right hon. Gentleman say who is going to preside at the Conference.?
Mr Ramsay Macdonald
, Seaham
That is not a matter for any one Government. It is a matter for the League of Nations responsible Committee, which appointed Mr. Henderson as chairman.
Lieut-General Edward Fitzroy
, Daventry
A very full answer has been given to this question.
Mr James Maxton
, Glasgow Bridgeton
I only wish to ask the Prime Minister whether the House will be sitting when all these Ministers are absent on the Continent?
Mr Ramsay Macdonald
, Seaham
We hope, as the late Government hoped, that it will not be necessary for these Ministers to be away at the same time. The attendances will have to be arranged in accordance with the business before the Conference from time to time.
Sir James Rodd
, St Marylebone
asked the Prime Minister whether, before the meeting of the Disarmament Conference at Geneva in February next, any statement will be made regarding the attitude of His Majesty's Government towards the conclusions adopted by the preparatory commission; and whether any opportunity will be afforded for discussing the subject?
Mr William Craven-Ellis
, Southampton
asked the Prime Minister if he will assure the House that our representatives will be instructed, before attending the World Disarmament Conference next year, that we have already reduced our defence forces below the safety level and that we cannot undertake any further disarmament until all the nations of the world have made substantial reductions?
Mr Ramsay Macdonald
, Seaham
Under the late Labour Government a committee composed of members of the three parties examined broadly the Draft Disarmament Convention. The present Government are continuing their examination of the whole question in the fullest detail, but it will hardly be possible for any statement to be made as to the Government's policy before the House rises. I can assure my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton (Mr. Craven-Ellis) that the point which he raises will not be overlooked.
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.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.