HL Deb 01 February 1972 vol 327 cc663-4
THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to appoint an Astronomer Royal to succeed Sir Richard Woolley.]

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, the appointment of the Astronomer Royal is the prerogative of Her Majesty the Queen. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister is considering what recommendation to make to Her Majesty.

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, may I ask whether the noble Earl will give an assurance that this very distinguished office, which goes back 300 years and the distinction of which has been well maintained by Sir Richard Woolley, will not be abolished? Is it the intention of Her Majesty's Government to divide the two offices of Director of the Greenwich Royal Observatory and the Astronomer Royal? If this is so, who is going to responsible for the Nautical Almanack?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I take new note of the last supplementary question put to me, and I will revert to it later in correspondence with my noble friend. In fact, Her Majesty the Queen approved in July of last year that the posts of Astronomer Royal and Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory should in future be regarded as separate appointments. But this does not mean that they cannot be held by one and the same person, male or female, as the case may be. Nor does it imply any downgrading of the post or of the staff associated with it. There is no intention of abolishing the historic office of Astronomer Royal which, curiously, my researches show has been held by only 11 people, all very distinguished in the last 300 years. There is nothing which precludes its being held by a woman—and I am sure that the noble Baroness, Lady Summerskill, has taken due notice of what I have just said.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, I was smiling because it is so unusual for any Minister to qualify a statement of this kind in this way—I think it is rather refreshing. Perhaps it is a result of "Women's Lib.".

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