§ Q2. Mr. Bowlesasked the Prime Minister whether he will promote the Minister of Health to full Cabinet rank.
§ The Prime MinisterIt is not possible to include in the Cabinet all Ministers in charge of Departments. But it has been made clear, I think by successive Administrations, that it should not be inferred from this that the Government underrate the importance of the matters for which Ministers outside the Cabinet are responsible.
§ Mr. BowlesWould the Prime Minister realise—as I gather he does—that a tremendous number of people depend upon a really powerful Minister of Health for their welfare and hospitals and so on, and will he reconsider this matter when he has his next reshuffle of the Cabinet?
§ The Prime MinisterOf course, we have a very excellent Minister of Health. What particular Minister should or should not be in the Cabinet is not a matter of rule. It is a matter of arrangements at any particular time.