Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Supply – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 24 Chwefror 1947.
Mr Tom Driberg
, Maldon
12:00,
24 Chwefror 1947
asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that the United States Foreign Liquidation Commissioner, 9, Rue de Presbourg, Paris, is offering for sale in Germany large numbers of surplus United States Army locomotives, electrical generating plants, etc.; and if he will investigate the possibility of acquiring some of this machinery for use in Britain during the present emergency.
Mr John Wilmot
, Deptford
Yes, Sir. The question whether the locomotives are needed for the home railways is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, with whom I am in consultation, and a representative of my Department is now in Paris inquiring about other surplus United States equipment, including electrical generating plant.
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.
