– in the House of Commons am ar 6 Chwefror 1939.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a new card game, first introduced in America, ridiculing prominent English personages, including incidents relating to the British Crown; and will he take steps, either by legislation or otherwise, to prohibit the circulation of the same in Great Britain?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
No, Sir; my right hon. Friend's attention has not been called to this game.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
Has not the hon. Member seen these new cards now in circulation which bring members of the Royal Family into ridicule?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
Perhaps the hon. Member will forward them to my right hon. Friend.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
Will the Minister take action when they are forwarded?
Mr William Gallacher
, Fife Western
Is the hon. Member not aware that prominent political personages are bringing themselves into disrepute?
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.
