Oral Answers to Questions — Overseas Development – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 15 Rhagfyr 1964.
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Sutton Coldfield
12:00,
15 Rhagfyr 1964
asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps she is taking to increase the number of technical staff supplied to former British dependencies in Africa.
Mr Albert Oram
, East Ham South
The annual rate of appointment of qualified staff has more than doubled for Commonwealth Africa since 1962. I have begun a thorough review of recruitment policy generally to see what more can be done to improve our performance still further.
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Sutton Coldfield
Will the right hon. Lady, whose enthusiasm for her task we all appreciate, bear in mind that this is one of the most valuable forms of aid, but that one of the great difficulties is to ensure, on their return, the seniority of experts, particularly doctors and teachers, who go out from this country for a temporary term of service overseas?
Mr Albert Oram
, East Ham South
My right hon. Friend will have heard the right hon. Gentleman's remarks. She was nodding, which indicates that she understood the point made by him. These points will be taken into account in the review that is to be made.
Miss Irene Ward
, Tynemouth
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that agreement by nodding is not the same as agreement by voice?
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.
