Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 11:23 pm ar 30 Mehefin 1947.
Mr Arthur Molson
, High Peak
11:23,
30 Mehefin 1947
It is a happy coincidence that, having passed from Scottish problems, we now come to whisky problems, and I think we are all indebted to the Minister of Food for the frank confession he has made. As one of those who accept most fully the Socialist planning thesis, he admits that at an earlier stage he would have told the distillers they ought to have charged a higher price, and had the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Bowles) brought this matter up six months ago, the tone of his reply would have been different. [An HON. MEMBER: "Eighteen months ago."] It does not matter how long ago. His reply today has been that the distillers, whom he regards as actuated by the motive of additional profit, have, on the whole, turned out to be right. I do think the hon. Member for Nuneaton was public-spirited in raising this matter, because we are all most anxious to earn the maximum number of dollars from this very important export. In the two or three minutes that remain to ask questions, it is a little discouraging to know that there is no opportunity to reply, but I ask them because they are important. There are two countries to which we have had great and important whisky exports in the past which have, as I understand, in the recent past announced that they are not going to make exchange available for imports. One is India—
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.