§ Mr. Parkerasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the conclusions of the 1543W Royal Commission on the private manufacture of and trading in armaments, that public officials, whether serving or retired, should not accept appointments with armament firms except with the approval of the Minister in charge of the Department in which they are serving or have served, he has accorded permission to Sir John Anderson, lately Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, to become a director of Messrs. Vickers's armament firm; and, if so, when?
§ Mr. LloydI would refer the hon. Member to Command Paper 5517, which sets out the Government's decision on the subject of the acceptance of business appointments by retired officers of the four Crown Services. Sir John Anderson ceased to serve in the Home Civil Service in March, 1932, when he was appointed Governor of Bengal. Under paragraph 7 of the Command Paper, it was not therefore necessary for him to obtain the assent of the Government to his acceptance of the appointment in question.