– in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 17 Rhagfyr 1947.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Walter Smiles
, Down
12:00,
17 Rhagfyr 1947
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to implement the pledges given to the Gibraltarians, still living in camps in Northern Ireland, to transfer them to London this winter.
Mr. Creech Jones:
His Majesty's Government are deeply concerned about the Gibraltar camps remaining in Northern Ireland, and are doing everything possible to restore to Gibraltar the 1,340 Gibraltarians left out of the total of 17,000 evacuated as soon as accommodation can be made available in the Colony. But it is evident that at least 700 must remain in the United Kingdom for some time yet, and every effort has been made to secure accommodation for these people in London. Owing to practical difficulties. I regret that our hopes have not been fulfilled, and my officers are exploring with all expedition with the other Ministries concerned arrangements for settling them in other parts of Great Britain outside the London area.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Walter Smiles
, Down
Is the Secretary of State aware that the Gibraltar people feel that he has let them down, and that the Minister of Works is also responsible for this?
Mr. Creech Jones:
I think there are various difficulties in the way of settling these people in London. We had hoped that these difficulties could be overcome. Unfortunately, that is not the case, but we have already started again to discover accommodation outside London because of the many practical difficulties of settling these people back in London.
Mr. Creech Jones:
It is absolutely impossible to get these people back to Gibraltar. Accommodation there is crowded to unhealthy limits, and the military are still there in part of the accommodation, though they have squeezed up to the limit of their capacity. I can assure the hon. Lady that, where civil accommodation is available, everything possible is being done.
Mr Reginald Sorensen
, Leyton West
Will my right hon. Friend say why the accommodation that was secured in London could not be used? Surely, if the premises are there, it would be easy to get them ready for these people?
Mr Denis Pritt
, Hammersmith North
Is my right hon. Friend aware, in reference to his earlier answer to a supplementary question, that from my own extensive experience I can say that the people of Gibraltar do not think that he has let them down, but that he is doing his best to find them shelter?
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.
