Arthur Greenwood Biography

Wins Nelson and Colne for Labour and enters the House of Commons.

Makes his first recorded contribution in Hansard shortly after entering Parliament.

Retains Nelson and Colne for Labour in the general election.

Is appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health in Ramsay MacDonald’s first Labour government.

Retains Nelson and Colne for Labour after the fall of the first Labour government.

Speaks on the Agricultural Rates Continuance Bill and its effect on public finance.

Raises matters concerning the General Medical Council in the Commons.

Contributes to debate on continuing rent and mortgage interest restrictions.

Addresses apprenticeship and labour supply in the building industry.

Debates proposals concerning the charges and supply of building materials.

Takes part in debate on the Contributory Pensions Bill and social insurance provision.

Continues scrutiny of the Contributory Pensions Bill during its Commons stages.

Addresses provisions intended to prevent overlapping pension payments.

Debates proposed disqualifications under the contributory pensions legislation.

Speaks on unemployment insurance legislation during the summer session.

Returns to the contributory pensions legislation during its later Commons stages.

Takes part in debate on silk and import duties.

Challenges issues surrounding the disallowance of unemployment benefit.

Contributes to Commons discussion of conditions in the iron and steel industry.

Responds in the Commons to the Prime Minister’s statement at the end of the parliamentary year.

Speaks on Ministry of Health policy while serving on Labour’s opposition benches.

Contributes to debate on reform of births and deaths registration.

Debates an amendment affecting eligibility under unemployment insurance law.

Opposes or scrutinises economy measures affecting public expenditure and social services.

Takes a prominent part in debate on powers over defaulting Boards of Guardians.

Examines health administration and expenditure during the Ministry of Health debate.

Presses the case for relief for miners’ wives and children during the coal dispute.

Supports relief measures for dependants affected by the continuing miners’ dispute.

Debates housing assistance for rural workers and the role of local authorities.

Raises the administration and adequacy of Poor Law relief.

Returns to Poor Law relief as unemployment and hardship continue.

Takes part in scrutiny of national electricity supply legislation.

Debates financial provisions for the Housing Rural Workers legislation.

Presses the government over measures for relieving unemployment.

Debates powers allowing local authorities to make housing grants or loans.

Prepares the Ministry of Health for the transfer of Poor Law medical institutions to local authorities under the Local Government Act 1929.

Is appointed Minister of Health in Ramsay MacDonald’s second Labour government.

Presents or defends government proposals affecting housing contributions as Minister of Health.

Answers Commons questions on payments and administration concerning appointed Poor Law guardians.

Answers questions on housing provision and policy affecting London County Council estates.

Addresses government action and local authority responsibilities for slum clearance on Tyneside.

Answers questions concerning a patient death at Harton Hospital.

Explains the relationship between insurance benefits and Poor Law relief.

Deals with questions concerning refuse disposal and public health in London.

Answers Commons questions concerning administration of the Nurses Registration Act.

Responds to public-health questions concerning the outbreak of psittacosis.

Defends Labour government policy on slum clearance and housing conditions.

Supervises implementation of the Local Government Act 1929 as Poor Law functions, including many infirmaries, pass to local authorities.

Provides a ministerial answer concerning slum clearance activity in Kent.

Responds to questions about a patient death at Hackney Hospital.

Answers questions about local authorities’ housing and improvement programmes.

Addresses health concerns associated with refuse dumps in London.

Addresses town-planning powers and policy in built-up areas.

Responds to Commons questions on tuberculosis and public-health administration.

Answers parliamentary questions concerning vaccination policy and administration.

Answers Commons questions on national health insurance as Minister of Health.

Responds to parliamentary questions concerning rural housing provision.

Addresses old-age pension administration during the final months of the Labour government.

Loses Nelson and Colne in Labour’s heavy general-election defeat.

Returns to the Commons by winning the Wakefield by-election for Labour.

Speaks against or scrutinises the operation of the Import Duties Act.

Contributes to debate on national health insurance and contributory pensions legislation.

Takes part in scrutiny of the Children and Young Persons Bill.

Examines provisions governing buildings and development within planning schemes.

Debates the preparation and adoption of planning schemes.

Speaks on the use of local inquiries in planning administration.

Debates safeguards for statutory undertakers under planning legislation.

Retains Wakefield for Labour in the general election.

Is elected unopposed as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party after Clement Attlee wins the party leadership.

Speaks on factory regulation and working conditions during scrutiny of the Factories Bill.

Challenges government proposals affecting local-government finance.

Raises the consequences of flooding in the Fen district and the public response required.

Intervenes in the Commons over the Harworth colliery dispute.

Uses his former ministerial experience to scrutinise Ministry of Health policy.

Speaks on the Spanish Civil War and British policy toward the conflict.

Challenges government labour and employment policy in the Commons.

Takes part in debate on welfare provisions for blind people.

Debates insurance arrangements affecting juvenile contributors and young people.

Participates in Commons scrutiny of the Coal Bill.

Contributes to debate on legislation for improved population statistics.

Questions and debates the government’s milk policy.

Debates statutory duties placed on local authorities for the welfare of blind people.

Speaks on proposals to reduce the number of coal-mining undertakings in the interests of efficiency.

Challenges the government’s housing finance proposals in the Commons.

Raises the worsening European situation following German pressure on Austria.

Moves a motion of censure over the government’s conduct of foreign affairs after Anthony Eden’s resignation.

Addresses British policy toward the Spanish Civil War.

Speaks on unemployment and wider economic conditions.

Sets out Labour criticism of the government’s foreign policy.

Argues that the government’s rural housing measures are inadequate.

Replies for Labour in the Commons debate, criticising the policy that led to Munich and the further concessions imposed on Czechoslovakia.

Participates in the Commons debate that helps bring down Neville Chamberlain’s government.

Joins Churchill’s wartime coalition as Minister without Portfolio and a member of the War Cabinet.

Explains government arrangements for coordinating production and economic policy during the war.

Addresses the Commons on mobilisation of national resources for the war effort.

Speaks for the coalition on wartime economic policy and organisation.

Takes responsibility for coordinating study of post-war reconstruction and chairs the ministerial machinery established for reconstruction problems.

Answers Commons questions on the committee examining social insurance and allied services.

Sets out proposals for central planning machinery as reconstruction responsibilities are reorganised.

Speaks during Commons consideration of the Anglo-Soviet treaty of alliance.

Wins election as Treasurer of the Labour Party, defeating Herbert Morrison.

Retains Wakefield for Labour in the general election that brings Clement Attlee to power.

Is appointed Lord Privy Seal in Clement Attlee’s Labour government.

Speaks during debate on the National Insurance Industrial Injuries Bill in the new Labour Parliament.

Is appointed Paymaster General while continuing to serve as Lord Privy Seal.

Leaves the office of Paymaster General and is succeeded by Hilary Marquand.

Moves from the office of Lord Privy Seal to serve again as Minister without Portfolio.

Leaves the Attlee government after serving as Minister without Portfolio during 1947.

Retains Wakefield for Labour with a substantial majority in the general election.

Makes his final recorded Hansard contribution during debate on the Schuman Plan.

Retains Wakefield for Labour in his final general election.

Chairs the Labour Party conference at Margate and urges delegates to conduct political disagreement without rancour.

Continues as Labour Party Treasurer, an office he first won in 1943, until his death in June 1954.

Dies in London aged seventy-four after more than three decades of parliamentary and Labour Party service.