§ 47. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister how many unpaid secretaries are officially employed on work involving personal attendance on himself; and when was the latest appointment to such an office.
§ The Prime MinisterOne, Sir; on 20th June last.
§ Mr. HamiltonIs it not the case that these posts are normally held by civil servants, and is not this a reflection on the efficiency of the civil servants available for them? Can the Prime Minister give the name of the person who has been appointed, so that we may be able to form a more accurate judgment than we would otherwise be able to do?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. There is no mystery about this. Mr. John Wyndham, who served with me as my private secretary for four years during the war, including the time when I was Resident Minister in the Central Mediterranean, undertook to help me whenever I wished, and I have taken advantage of that offer since. His formal position is that of a temporary civil servant, but this is a purely personal arrangement, for which there are indeed ample precedents in the past.