Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Pensions – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 28 Hydref 1947.
Mr William Gallacher
, Fife Western
12:00,
28 Hydref 1947
Is the Minister aware that in a very bad case which I put to his predecessor, his right hon. Friend said that he could not get away from the regulations? He was in favour of doing something, but he said that he was tied by the regulations and had no discretion of any kind. Is it not desirable that the Minister should have some measure of discretion?
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.
