§ Mr. Swinglerasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which Mr. Geoffrey McDermott, former British Minister in Berlin, left the employment of the Foreign Office.
§ Mr. P. ThomasMr. G. L. McDermott was retired from the Foreign Service last month under the Foreign Service Act, 1943, which allows my noble Friend to terminate by retirement on pension the careers of officers who, though they may have been satisfactory in the early years of their service, lose the qualities of initiative and energy which are necessary if they are to hold positions of greater responsibility.