§ Mr. Parkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far persons taking up 1034W Government employment on a full- or part-time basis are allowed to retain directorships of public limited liability companies; and what arrangements are made to safeguard the public interest?
§ Sir K. WoodThe principles regulating the appointment during the war of individuals with business interests to posts in Government Departments are set out in a Treasury Circular issued in February, 1940, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. The arrangements there laid down to safeguard the public interest were commented upon in the Report of the Committee of Public Accounts for 1941; and a Treasury Minute dated 12th February, 1942, drew the special attention of all Departments utilising the services of individuals who hold or held responsible positions in outside industry to the need for care in seeing that the basic principles enunciated are thoroughly understood and accepted by the officers in question, and observed in practice.