§ 27. Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Minister of Aviation what are the technical qualifications of the Permanent Secretary of his Department; and what is his previous experience in the field of aviation.
§ Mr. WoodhouseThe qualifications required of a Permanent Secretary of a Government Department are that he should have those qualities of mind and character and that breadth of managerial and administrative experience which fit a man for the highest posts.
§ Mr. Maxwell-HyslopI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Will he now do me the courtesy of answering the Question on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. WoodhouseThe qualifications required of the head of a Civil Service Department are not technical in the sense of being related to aviation or whatever may be the particular function of the Department. They are administrative. The Department has a large number of very competent technical staff who work under a Permanent Secretary and technical problems are in their hands.