Oral Answers to Questions — Fuel and Power – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 12 Rhagfyr 1949.
Mr Daniel Lipson
, Cheltenham
12:00,
12 Rhagfyr 1949
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give an estimate of the saving in manpower and expenditure which would result if the rationing of domestic coal were ended; and if he is now able to agree to do this.
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
About 5,000 and £1¼ million respectively. The reply to the second part of the Question is, No, Sir.
Mr Daniel Lipson
, Cheltenham
Can my right hon. Friend say, if he cannot abolish domestic coal rationing now, whether there is any hope that he will be able to do so in the near future?
Mr Hugh Gaitskell
, Leeds South
Unfortunately, it would cost us some £20 million worth of foreign exchange if we were to supply the coal that would be required as a result of abolishing rationing, and I would not care to prophesy when coal output will have reached the point at which we shall be able to abolish rationing.
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.
