Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 23 Ionawr 1947.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
12:00,
23 Ionawr 1947
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will now state the number of non-industrial staff employed by the Coal Board.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I have no information as to the number of staff—non-industrial or otherwise—employed by the National Coal Board.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
Can the right hon. Gentleman hold out any hope that this information will eventually percolate to his Department?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
The National Coal Board are under no obligation to announce the numbers of their staff. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] It is a commercial undertaking.
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.
