Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Works – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 3 Mawrth 1947.
Mr Arthur Palmer
, Wimbledon
12:00,
3 Mawrth 1947
asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the undue delay in dealing with applications for timber licences; and whether he will take steps to reduce this delay
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
The allocation of timber to my Department is not sufficient to meet demands, and this is bound to result in delay in granting applications for timber licences.
Mr Charles Williams
, Torquay
Do I understand that, a last, the Minister admits that the delay is deliberate?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
There is no deliberate delay, but we cannot distribute what we have not got.
Sir Arthur Harvey
, Macclesfield
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when timber is available it usually takes six weeks for a permit to be given? Will he look into this point?
Mr Arthur Palmer
, Wimbledon
Can my right hon. Friend say when the timber position is likely to improve?
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.
