Council Secretariat CS

This section contains files dealing with most aspects of the work of the Ministry and in particular with international labour regulations and the Washington and Genoa Conferences, with the Ministry's views on current problems such as housing, reform of the poor law, discussion of bills for which the Ministry was responsible, e.g. Hours of Employment, Minimum Rates of Wages Commission, Industrial Court.

Work of the Council Secretariat is described in: LAB 2/1796/CEB932/1920/Part2

Most of the minutes and papers of the meetings of the Ministry of Labour Council and the Standing Departmental Conference are in LAB 2/757/CS102/2-4, 6-12, 14-20, 22-28: LAB 2/757

In October 1919, the Ministry of Labour Council was formed to keep the various departments of the Ministry in touch with one another and to advise the Minister on questions of policy. The Council consisted of the Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary, the Permanent Secretary, the Second Secretary, and heads of departments. The Council Secretariat had two functions, to act as agents of the Council and to deal with matters not within the scope of other departments. It collected information from each department and issued reports which were at first daily and changed to weekly in January 1920. It prepared the agenda for the Council and recorded its conclusions. Parliamentary questions, Cabinet memoranda, and all important memoranda for the Minister had to be sent first to the Council Secretariat.

The Ministry of Labour Council was renamed the Standing Departmental Conference in July 1920, and the Council Secretariat became the Parliamentary and General Branch, part of the General Department. The Standing Departmental Conference did not meet after September 1920.