§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal on what date Mr. Geoffrey McDermott relinquished his post in Cyprus; on what date he left the island; on what 98W date a Foreign Service inspector inspected the Foreign Office establishment in Cyprus; and on what date a report confirming Mr. McDermott's own view, previously expressed to the Foreign Office, that he had been under-employed as political representative with the Middle East Forces, was received in his Department.
§ Mr. P. ThomasI regret that I was mistaken in informing the House on 9th November that the inspector's visit to Cyprus had occurred after Mr. McDermott had left for Berlin. The inspector's report was submitted to the Foreign Office after he had been appointed to and accepted the post in Berlin, but before he had taken up the post.
Mr. McDermott relinquished his post in Cyprus and left the island on 12th June, 1961. The Foreign Service inspector inspected the Political Office, Near East Command, in Cyprus from 6th to 9th March and from 12th to 17th March. He submitted his report to the Foreign Office on 18th April.
Mr. McDermott had informed the Chief Clerk of the Foreign Office on 6th November, 1959, that quantitatively he was slightly under-employed. He also told the inspector during his visit that he did not pretend to have a full day's work. However, the inspector reported that the Head of Chancery was carrying most of the work load of the post, and that Mr. McDermott did not normally put in more than three or four hours' work a day in the office.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal on what dates between 1st July, 1961, and 1st June, 1962, Sir Christopher Steel complained, orally or in writing, to Mr. Geoffrey McDermott about his work as Minister in Berlin; and what was the nature of such complaint.
§ Mr. P. ThomasSir Christopher Steel made no complaints to Mr. McDermott about his work in Berlin, but when Major-General Dunbar was appointed British Commandant, Sir Christopher Steel, in the light of what he knew about relations between Mr. McDermott and his military colleagues, thought it necessary to say to Mr. McDermott that the General was in charge and must be loyally supported.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal on what dates between 1st July, 1961, and 1st June, 1962, complaints 99W were made by General Delacombe about the conduct of Mr. Geoffrey McDermott either to the Foreign Office or to Sir Christopher Steel; what was the nature of those complaints; and on what dates and in what form they were made known to Mr. McDermott.
§ Mr. P. ThomasGeneral Delacombe, on 22nd May, 1962, when asked specifically by the Foreign Office about Mr. McDermott's performance, reported adversely on him, saying that he was very idle, that he worked a very short day and that his relations with his subordinate staff were unsatisfactory. No other reports on Mr. McDermott's work were received from General Delacombe.
The letter sent to Mr. McDermott by the Chief Clerk on 1st June informed him that the Permanent Under-Secretary had received a most adverse report about him from General Delacombe, that the General had stated that he was doing very little work and putting in a very short day at the office with the result that his Counsellor had to work very long hours indeed to get the work done, and that the General had also criticised his relations with his subordinate staff. The substance of General Delacombe's criticisms was also contained in the two memoranda about Mr. McDermott's retirement submitted to the Promotions Board, copies of both of which were sent to Mr. McDermott on 7th June and 2nd August, 1962.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal on what dates between 1st July, 1961, and 1st June, 1962, complaints were made by Sir Christopher Steel to the Foreign Office about the conduct of Mr. Geoffrey McDermott; what was the nature of those complaints; and on what dates, and in what form, they were made known by the Foreign Office to Mr. McDermott.
§ Mr. P. ThomasSir Christopher Steel informed the Foreign Office on 21st December, 1961, that relations between Mr. McDermott and the senior Military Staff in Berlin were bad and that he considered this to be Mr. McDermott's fault. He reported again early in January, 1962, on the same lines. These were special reports of the type referred to by my noble Friend in the reply he gave to a Question by Lord Henderson in another place on 13th November. They were made known to Mr. McDermott in100W a letter from the Chief Clerk of the Foreign Office dated 1st June, 1962, and in the two memoranda on his retirement which were submitted to the Promotions Board and of which he was sent copies.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal what complaints about Mr. Geoffrey McDermott's discharge of his duties as Minister in Berlin were made in writing by members of his staff to Sir Christopher Steel or to the Foreign Office before 1st June, 1962; and on what dates such complaints were passed to Mr. McDermott.
§ Mr. P. ThomasNo such complaints made in writing about Mr. McDermott by any member of his staff either to Sir Christopher Steel or to the Foreign Office.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal on what dates between 1st July, 1961, and 1st June, 1962, Sir Harold Caccia or Sir Francis Rundall indicated orally or in writing to Mr. Geoffrey McDermott that they were dissatisfied with his discharge of his duties as Minister in Berlin.
§ Mr. P. ThomasNo indications of this sort were given to Mr. McDermott by Sir Harold Caccia or Sir Francis Rundall between these particular dates.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal what opportunity to clear himself of any charges or complaints against him was afforded to Mr. McDermott before Sir Francis Rundall wrote to him on 1st June saying that he must withdraw from Berlin and that there would be no further post for him in the Foreign Service.
§ Mr. P. ThomasAs my noble Friend explained in another place on 13th November, Mr. McDermott was not dismissed on disciplinary grounds following specific charges or complaints, but was retired with his full pension and gratuity under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act, 1943. As I explained in this House on 9th November and as my noble Friend explained in another place on 13th November, Mr. McDermott was given copies of bath the memoranda laid before the senior Promotions Board about his retirement and invited to comment on both of them in writing or to appear of he wished before a sub-committee of the Board. He chose to communicate in writing and his comments 101W were circulated to the members of the Board. He was also invited to comment to the Retirement Board if he wished, and he decided to comment in writing. Copies of his letter were sent to the members of the Retirement Board. He was, therefore, given every opportunity under the retirement procedure to put his case both to the Promotions Board and separately to the Retirement Board.
The letter sent to Mr. McDermott by Sir Francis Rundall on 1st June informed him firstly that it had been decided that he should be withdrawn from Berlin and that he should, therefore, arrange to leave Berlin as soon as he could do so with propriety, and furthermore that since the Promotions Board did not feel able, as things stood, to recommend Mr. McDermott to my noble Friend for employment either in the Foreign Office or at another post abroad, it was necessary to consider the question of his retirement from the Foreign Service under the 1943 Foreign Service Act. There was, of course, no question of any final decision about Mr. McDermott's future in the Foreign Service having been reached at this stage by my noble Friend.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal what was the earliest date after 1st July, 1961, that Mr. Geoffrey McDermott was given an opportunity to comment on criticisms made against him during his time as Minister in Berlin.
§ Mr. P. ThomasBy 1st July, 1962, Mr. McDermott had already commented, in a letter dated 19th June, on the first memorandum about his retirement, which had been sent to him on 7th June. He was sent the second memorandum on 2nd August and commented on it in a letter dated 8th August.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal when Mr. Geoffrey McDermott will be shown copies of complaints lodged against him by Sir Christopher Steel, General Delacombe or any officials of the Foreign Office.
§ Mr. P. ThomasUnder Foreign Service Regulation No. 12 a Foreign Service officer accused of a disciplinary offence must receive copies of the letter setting out the full facts of the case sent by his official superior to the Under-Secretary of State for Administration and of all subsequent correspondence.102W As my noble Friend explained in another place on 13th November, however, Mr. McDermott was not dismissed on disciplinary grounds but was retired with his full pension and gratuity under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act, 1943. He was informed of the unfavourable reports received about him in Sir Francis Rundall's letter of 1st June and received copies of the two memoranda recommending his retirement which were submitted to the Promotions Board. As has been made clear, he had a full opportunity of commenting either in person or in writing on these memoranda and did submit comments upon both in writing.
§ Mr. Greenwoodasked the Lord Privy Seal why paragraph 4 (a) of Regulation 12 of the Foreign Service Regulations requiring that all complaints of a disciplinary nature must be shown to the person complained against was not complied with in the case of Mr. Geoffrey McDermott.
§ Mr. P. ThomasAs my noble Friend explained in another place on 13th November, Foreign Service Regulation No. 12 is not relevant in this case, as Mr. McDermott was not dismissed on disciplinary grounds but was retired with pension and gratuity under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act, 1943.