HC Deb 15 December 1964 vol 704 cc31-2W
15. Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Minister of Overseas Development by what authority she has appointed secretaries, officers and servants and paid to them salaries or remuneration as determined by the Treasury, prior to statutory provision being made for her Department.

Mrs. Castle

Appointments to offices in the Ministry of Overseas Development have been made under the authority of the Prerogative. Pending the approval of Estimates, which will be submitted in due course, the remuneration and expenses of persons appointed directly to the Department are being met out of advances from the Civil Contingencies Fund; the remaining persons appointed have been transferred from other Departments, and their pay and expenses are continuing to be met out of monies voted by Parliament for those Departments.

Mr. Neil Marten

asked the Minister of Overseas Development, whether she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the other Departments from which functions have been or are to be transferred to her Department, showing in each case the number of staff which will be required in her Department to discharge these functions and the extent to which these staff requirements will be met by transfer from the Departments previously responsible for them.

Mrs. Castle

The other Departments (excluding the former D.T.C.) from which work is being transferred are:

  • Foreign Office,
  • Commonwealth Relations Office,
  • Colonial Office,
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
  • Department of Education and Science, Treasury.
Because of reorganisation and integration with former D.T.C. work and of developments in the work, it is not possible to give a precise figure of the number of staff which will be required to discharge these functions. The number is, however, approximately 140, and arrangements have so far been made to transfer 87 staff from the listed Departments. Arrangements to transfer others are under discussion.