Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 2 Rhagfyr 1947.
Mr William Shepherd
, Bucklow
12:00,
2 Rhagfyr 1947
asked the Secretary of State for War the total amount paid to the German Government by the British Government for the maintenance of illegitimate children arising out of the occupation of Germany after the first world war; and whether consideration has been given to employing a similar system to cover the present occupation.
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
I am not aware of any such payment as that referred to in the first part of the Question. The answer to the second part is in the negative.
Mr William Shepherd
, Bucklow
Is the Minister satisfied with the present arrangement? Does he feel that in the circumstances it is just?
Mr Emanuel Shinwell
, Seaham
The present arrangement has nothing to do with the Question that was asked.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
