COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 25 January 1966)

§ LORD BESWICK
My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Earl, Lord Bessborough, and other noble Lords who spoke, for what they have said and the welcome which they gave to the Commonwealth Secretariat Bill. I am sure that the encouragement which they expressed and the interest they have shown will be appreciated very keenly by those upon whom executive responsibility for the Secretariat will now fall. I noted that the noble Earl, Lord Bessborough, proposes to raise the matter concerning income tax on the Committee stage, and I shall look forward to seeing whether his point is directed towards restricting or enlarging the immunity to which I referred.

THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGH
My Lords, I did not say that I was definitely going to raise the matter myself. I certainly thought that it would be raised by other noble Lords.

§ LORD BESWICK
We shall have to wait then until we see exactly what is said on the point.
The noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, asked about the position of the staff and whether they were to be seconded, or whether it would be possible for members of the staff to look forward to a position in the Secretariat as a life career. As I understand it, there will be a combination of both seconded personnel and those who will be able to make the Secretariat a career. In the first instance, at any rate, the Secretary-General and his two Deputies are seconded. They are appointed collectively by the Commonwealth Heads of Government and, not unnaturally, they were appointed from one or other of the diplomatic services of the Governments concerned.
The question was raised, and I endeavored to give some satisfactory answer, as to why there are no female members on the staff. In fact, so far as the senior staff are concerned, they 56 are appointed by the Secretary-General from names submitted to him by the different Commonwealth Governments, and I assume that it is possible that no woman has been on the list submitted for the senior positions which have been filled so far. I know, however, that there are some women members, in the middle grades, and it seems to me that it would be entirely appropriate if in this Commonwealth of ours, in which, as I mentioned earlier, there have been two women Prime Ministers, there were women members of the staff. I am sure that mention of this earlier in the debate will be noted by those who have responsibility in the field of appointments.
The noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, also asked about the suitability of the paintings on the walls at Marlborough House. I have no doubt, again, that what he said will be read with interest; but I have reason to believe that higher on the list of priorities of the Secretary-General will be the need, not for new paintings on the walls, but for the possibility of putting in some windows in the annex in which some of his staff will have to work. It is now the case—no doubt there were historic reasons for this—that in the particular annex which will be used there are no windows opening out on to what is one of the most beautiful pieces of countryside in London and, in my view, in the world. I suppose at one time servants were quartered there and were not permitted to look out on the lawns where the ladies and gentlemen might stroll. When times are better, and the Minister of Works has more funds at his disposal, I hope that it will be possible, before we get round to changing the pictures, to put in some windows instead of the blank walls which are now there.
My Lords, I think that I have replied to the various questions which were raised. I simply say again that I am sure that the members of the Secretariat will appreciate the encouragement which has been given to them and the confidence which has been displayed in the future of this organization.