Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 12 Chwefror 1991.
Andrew Smith
Shadow Spokesperson (Education)
12:00,
12 Chwefror 1991
When the Minister meets the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals does he intend to discuss with it the Secretary of State's plans, reported in The Independent on Sunday, to abolish the distinction between universities and polytechnics? Will he confirm that the Government are considering that matter? Does he agree that in order to overcome the binary divide it will be necessary to establish a joint funding council, common quality assurance mechanisms and safeguards for the existing research commitments at universities?
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.
