§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ 3.57 p.m.
§ Major H. Legge-Bourke (Isle of Ely)I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a second time."
I have three minutes in which to try to indicate to the House the object of the Bill. In view, however, of certain observations which have been made public about it, I had better begin by saying what it is not intended to do.
First, the Bill is not intended in any way to restrict the powers of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his authority of approving certain senior appointments in the Civil Service. I have no intention whatever of trying to restrict those powers. Secondly, I certainly do not in any way wish to restrict the power of a Minister to be entirely his own master in recommending to the Prime Minister what those appointments should be. If there are people who think that we should be taking away that power from a Minister if we were to set up an appointments board for the Civil Service to recommend those who might be suitable for filling the senior appointments, I do not agree with them.
My main object in introducing the Bill is that I believe it is wrong to leave in the hands of one man, who cannot be called to account by Parliament, the power to recommend and to be the one man who can recommend. That man is the Permanent Secretary of the Treasury in his capacity of the designation of Official Head of the Civil Service. I dislike that title, because I believe that there is only one head of the Civil Service and that that is the Sovereign. The title "Official Head of the Civil Service" tends to give people the idea that there are two heads, and when there are two heads in one body there is apt to be a split personality.
I therefore hope that the House will, at least, agree that the Bill has something to commend it which is worthy of more careful consideration than we can possibly give to it this afternoon. For that reason, I should hope that the House would be prepared to give it a Second Reading.
§ 3.59 p.m.
§ Mr. David Renton (Huntingdon)I beg to second the Motion.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)As my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) has said, this is a very big issue to seek to discuss in such seconds as may remain this afternoon.
It being Four o'Clock the debate stood adjourned.
Debate to be resumed upon Friday, 30th January.
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Mr. Studholme.]