§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of Stale for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware of the concern felt by the career diplomats of the practice of appointing bankers, industrialists and party politicians to the top Ambassadorial jobs; and whether he will 388W take action to prevent such appointments in the future.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeThe appointment of distinguished people from outside the Diplomatic Service as Ambassadors and High Commissioners is a well-established practice and from time to time the public interest requires it. The number of such appointments is less now than at any time since the war and I have no reason to believe that there is concern among members of the career service.