Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry. – in the House of Commons am ar 4 Gorffennaf 1939.
Mr John Tinker
, Leigh
asked the Secretary for Mines the number of inspections made by His Majesty's inspectors this year in Lancashire; and the number made on afternoon shifts and on night shifts?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
During the current year up to 24th June, His Majesty's inspectors of mines and quarries have made 888 inspections in Lancashire. Three of these were at metalliferous mines, and 115 at quarries. The remaining 770 were at mines under the Coal Mines Acts, and included 144 on afternoon and 137 on night shifts.
Mr John Tinker
, Leigh
Does the percentage of afternoon and night inspections compare favourably with that for last year, and if it does not, will the Minister urge the inspectors to increase these inspections?
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Birmingham, Ladywood
Yes, Sir. There has been a very substantial increase in the number of afternoon and night inspections.
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.
