Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 30 Hydref 1947.
Mr Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
, Bedford
12:00,
30 Hydref 1947
asked the Minister of Labour whether, owing to a considerable number of prisoners of war skilled in industries in which there is a shortage of British manpower having been repatriated to unemployment in Germany, when they were anxious to stay and help this country's export drive, he will revise the present regulations, which only allow of prisoners of war remaining in Britain in the category agricultural employment.
Mr Ness Edwards
, Caerffili
No, Sir. I hope that the efforts being made to increase the skilled labour force in those crafts where it is deficient will prove successful, without the retention, in a civilian capacity, of German prisoners of war at present in this country. Furthermore, I understand that there is a demand for men in most skilled trades in Germany itself.
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.
