Oral Answers to Questions — Overseas Development – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 15 Rhagfyr 1964.
Mr Charles Longbottom
, City of York
12:00,
15 Rhagfyr 1964
asked the Minister of Overseas Development what requests she has recently received from the Government of Zambia for the provision of higher education personnel and agricultural officers on secondment; and to what extent she is able to meet the requirements.
Mr Albert Oram
, East Ham South
I have received no requests in these categories since the independence of Zambia and none is outstanding in relation to staff for higher education. I have outstanding requests for 19 agricultural field officers. Four of these posts are about to be filled and the remainder are under active recruitment.
Mr Charles Longbottom
, City of York
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that reply. Will he bear in mind the real need of Zambia to develop its agricultural potential, and will he do all in his power to ensure that his Department is able to satisfy its requirements?
Mr Albert Oram
, East Ham South
I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the needs of agriculture, not only in Zambia but in other territories in Africa, are very urgent and fundamental. The Ministry certainly has what he says very much in mind.
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.
