Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 3 Tachwedd 1965.
Mr Cranley Onslow
, Woking
12:00,
3 Tachwedd 1965
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase or decrease in staff there was in the Department under his control in the period 16th October, 1964, to 15th October, 1965; and what increase or decrease he anticipates in the period up to 15th April, 1966.
Mr John Mackie
, Enfield East
Mid-month figures are not available, but the staff of the Department is estimated to have fallen by 66 between 16th October, 1964, and 15th October, 1965. It is estimated that it will then increase by about 130 by the 15th April, 1966.
Mr Cranley Onslow
, Woking
Can the Minister explain why he was unable to achieve the decrease of 110 which he forecast six months ago?
Mr John Mackie
, Enfield East
The decrease is 66 and the total figure of my Department is 15,542. It is not a very big error.
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.
