Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 6 Mehefin 1945.
Major Basil Peto
, Birmingham King's Norton
12:00,
6 Mehefin 1945
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will set out in detail the principles which are to be applied in drafting R.A.F. personnel for service in the Far East so far as the various demobilisation priority groups are concerned.
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
Men in early age and service groups for Class "A" release are not normally posted overseas except to Western Europe. For purposes of assessing priority of release there is no distinction between service at home and overseas; nor will a man be required to complete his overseas tour when his turn for release arrives.
Mr Adam M'Kinlay
, Dunbartonshire
Is it a fact that men in the 25 group have already been informed by commanding officers in France that they are liable to be drafted to the Far East?
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
I think this question was raised before, and any such order, if given, has been cancelled.
Mr Adam M'Kinlay
, Dunbartonshire
Is the Minister aware that I have a reply from his predecessor which indicates that the people on the spot determine these things and that men of the 25 group have been notified that they are liable to be so drafted?
Mr Harold Macmillan
, Stockton-on-Tees
That was an order of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in France which has been cancelled.
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.
