Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Environment – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 5 Rhagfyr 1973.
Mr Jock Stallard
, St Pancras North
12:00,
5 Rhagfyr 1973
Does the Minister accept, as he dares to hide behind the improvement grant figures lo excuse the appalling housing record of his Government, that in inner London improvement grants have not had the effect intended in the 1969 or 1949 Acts by Labour Governments? For instance, in my Constituency improvement grants have had the effect of taking hundreds of homes out of the rented sector. Those homes are now being sold at fabulous profits. Is the Minister aware that houses which have been converted with public money are being sold at very high prices? In my constituency a one-bedroom flat is for sale for £14,000. Does the Minister think that the worker or controlled tenant who used to live in that property could now go back into it?
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.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
