§ Q6. Mr. Francis Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister if he will now amalgamate the Commonwealth and Foreign Offices and appoint a single Secretary of State for External Affairs.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerAs no other country, including any Commonwealth country, now has more than one external affairs department, and in view of the inevitable duplication and occasional confusion that the present arrangement entails, does not my right hon. Friend feel that the time has come to reconsider this rather anachronistic set-up?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. When this matter was considered in 1964, as a 787 result of the Plowden Committee's Report, it was felt that any amalgamation could be misinterpreted as implying a loss of interest in the Commonwealth partnership. I believe that this reason still applies today as an argument against amalgamation. Where necessary, responsibilities have been transferred from one Department to another.
§ Mr. BlakerWould not the Prime Minister agree that the Plowden Report is not inconsistent with the proposal made in this Question? Has he consulted Commonwealth Governments about it? Is he not aware that, if he did so, he would find a large degree of support for the proposal?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Plowden Report is not inconsistent. It recommended unification of the overseas service, and this has now been carried through. As to the views of Commonwealth countries, I do not think that there would be any-anything like the unanimity which the hon. Gentleman suggests. Very many Commonwealth countries attach the greatest importance to the fact that there is a Department specifically dealing with Britain's relations with the Commonwealth.