Oral Answers to Questions — Wales – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 24 Chwefror 1966.
Mr Peter Thorneycroft
, Sir Fynwy
12:00,
24 Chwefror 1966
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give an account of the effect of recent Government decisions on the state of the road programme in Wales and Mon mouthshire.
Mr James Griffiths
, Llanelli
The deferment measures announced last year will result in a reduction in Exchequer expenditure of about £200,000 in the current financial year and £400,000 in 1966–67. These reductions are small in relation to the total expenditure of nearly £23 million in the two years.
Mr Peter Thorneycroft
, Sir Fynwy
Is the Secretary of State aware that the cutting down of the road programme in Wales is regarded very seriously by those who have the interests of the Principality at heart? We have noticed the predisposition of the Minister of Transport for the United Kingdom to make increases in the road programmes where by-elections are going on. Is it necessary to have by-elections in Wales in order to achieve this end?
Mr James Griffiths
, Llanelli
Elections seem to take care of themselves in Wales. The fact is that the proportionate reduction in Wales was very much smaller because, following their policy, the Government announced that the cuts would not apply to development areas—and large portions of the Principality are development areas.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
