§ Mr. PALINGasked the Prime Minister whether he will give tile names, with their length of service in their present rank, of all second secretaries, principal assistant secretaries, and assistant secretaries in the Treasury, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and other Departments of State, respectively, who were senior at the time of the appointment to the assistant secretary of the Treasury who has been appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe higher appointments in the Service are filled by selection and not by seniority. It would not, therefore, be justifiable to incur the considerable expenditure of time and labour which would be involved in preparing the information for which the hon. Member asks.