– in the House of Commons am ar 4 Gorffennaf 1939.
Mr Reginald Fletcher
, Nuneaton
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he will inquire from the Government of the Union of South Africa as to what they consider would be fair compensation to Germany for the territories of South-West Africa and Tanganyika?
Mr Thomas Inskip
, Fareham
I do not think that, in present circumstances, there would be any advantage in making the inquiry.
Mr Reginald Fletcher
, Nuneaton
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a public statement recommending such conversations has been made by the Minister of Defence in the Union Government, and as the matter obviously raises important questions of Imperial strategic defence, ought not some communication to be made to the Union Government?
Mr Thomas Inskip
, Fareham
I have read the speech to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, and I am inclined to think that at the present moment any such inquiry would be merely academic.
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.
