Oral Answers to Questions — Armed Forces – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 18 Chwefror 1948.
Mr Daniel Chater
, Bethnal Green North East
12:00,
18 Chwefror 1948
asked the Minister of Defence if he will state in each case the personnel totals of the armies, navies and air forces, with the numbers of war vessels and military aircraft, of Great Britain, the United States and Russia,
Mr Albert Alexander
, Sheffield, Hillsborough
No, Sir. The Defence white paper which I am arranging to make available tomorrow will indicate the Government's plans in regard to the manpower of the three Services during the next financial year—and the Service Estimates will give such other information as, in present circumstances, can prudently be disclosed. I cannot answer for the United States or Russia.
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.
A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
