BRITISH CABINET CHANGES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23319, 3 May 1941, Page 9

BRITISH CABINET CHANGES

lord beaverbrook

New Post For Lord

Beaverbrook

MR R.H. CROSS FOR AUSTRALIA

(Received May 2. 9.30 p.m.) (U.P.A. LONDON, May 2. Important appointments in the British Cabinet have been announced as follows:

Minister of State.—Lord Beaverbrook, formerly Minister for Aircraft Production, His , ne w is a nondepartmental one in the War Cabinet Minister for Aircraft Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. C. MooreBrabazon, formerly Minister for Transport Minister for Transport and Shipping. Mr F. J. Leathers, a prominent businessman. who becomes a Baron and a member of the: Privy Council. Mr Ronald Cross, formerly Minister for Shipping, is to go to Australia as High Commissioner. , . Colonel J, J. Llewellyn becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, and Mr F. Montague Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The Canadian-born statesman,. Lord Beaverbrook, as Minister for Aircraft Production, was largely responsible for the phenomenal speed-up m production of aircraft in Great Britain, His appointment answers in advance criticisms which several members of Parliament were expected To make m the House, that he should be able to devote his whole time to war problems, without worrying .about departmental business. . . The amalgamation of the Shipping and Transport Departments for the purposes of the war will be effected

forthwith, and certain functions of the Ministry of Transport Only, remotely connected with communications, will, if desirable, be transferred *to the Board of Trade or other: departments. The combined Ministry, when the process of amalgamation is completed, will become the Ministry for War time Communications. . A speeding-up in .the turn-round of ships in Britain is expected, as a result of the merging- of the portfolios of shipping and transport, which , has been done for the first time. Lord Leathers is at present adviser on coal to the Ministry of Shipping, and he controls coal bunkers all over the world and shipments of coal generally. The sending of Mr Ronald Cross to Australia is in line with Mr Churchill's policy of appointing young men to the. High Commissioner’s posts, which was inaugurated when Mr Maltidlhi" MacDonald was made High Commissioner to Canada. x the Cabinet Changes , reflect Mr Churchill’s determination to impart the utmost power and drive to the war effort. Lord Beaverbrook, it is believed, , becomes virtual deputy-Prlme Minister, concentrating on the direction of general policy, particularly on the home front. Mr Churchill remains in control of War strategy. Lord Bearerbrook directs general field production, the maximum utilisation of manpower and womanpowCr, and the .co-ordina-tion of the Ministries concerned. When Lord Beaverbrook joined the War Cabinet, it was understood that he was remaining as Minister for Aircraft Production ■ only until production had reached a satisfactory level. That has now happened releasing Lord Beaverbrook for wider duties; ' The “Daily Telegraph” says the big surprise is the appointment of Lord Leathers. He is little known in the political world, but as he is a leading authority on dock problems, his appointment will simplify the speeding up of the turn-round of shipping. Members of Parliament have long urged that the Minister for Shipping should have more power to co-ordinate the authorities concerned with the loading and discharging of ships. The “Daily Mail" says the War Cabinet is gradually evolving nearer the shape which many members of Parliament consider necessary—a number of Ministers free from departmental 'responsibility and able to direct their complete energies to major War planning. Mr C. E. Attlee, Mr Arthur Greenwood, and Sir John Anderson have been largely released from Whitehall tasks for general directive works. “Wish of the Nation” In a leading article the “Dally Mail” says: v Mr Churchill has responded to the desire of the nation; We have arrived at a point where new men obviously become necessary for the more efficient conduct of the war. Mr Churchill has replanned his Ministry on highly constructive lines. He has partially admitted the idea of a supreme War Cabinet composed of men not harassed with, departmental duties. ■> “Lord Beaverbrook; whose title is unique in British history, will devote his time to the general direction of war policy. He has been one of the big successes of the Government. He has stimulated every department of aircraft output and he leaves the Ministry with Britain well on the way to air supremacy. ‘‘The telescoping of the shipping and transport Ministries, which will be renamed the Ministry of War-time pommunicatioris, is a sound move which could advantageously have been taken before. There is no room in the movement of goods for two sets of officials competing with and Overlapping each other.” BRITISH PRISONERS IN GERMANY TRANSFER TO CAMPS IN POLAND ff1.0.W.) RUGBY, May 1. Answering a question la the House of Commons about the transfer of British officers and prisoners of war in Germany to camps in Poland because the Germans had received unfavourable reports of a camp in Canada, the Financial Secretary to the War Office (Mr R. H. Law) said information had been received that the German Government now had favourable reports on the camp In Canada, which was the object of their allegation and they had ordered certain improvements to be carried out in the two camps In Poland to which officers had been transferred. ; . The British Government did not regard the present position aa satisfactory andwould continue to press for the return of the" British officers to the original cgmps.