§ LORD R1TCHIE-CALDERasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action has been taken to implement recommendation 122 of the Fulton Report that, in putting forward names for top appointments to the Prime Minister, the Head of the Civil Service should be assisted by a Committee of variable composition drawn from a panel with a rotating membership consisting of Permanent Secretaries, scientists and other specialists, and one or two eminent people from outside the Civil Service.
§ LORD SHACKLETONThe Government agree with this approach. Arrange-682WA ments on the lines recommended have been put into operation for all administrative appointments at and above Deputy Secretary level; and these arrangements are being extended to cover all equivalent scientific and professional posts.
These arrangements do however depart from the Fulton recommendation in that persons from outside the Civil Service will not be members of the Committee. When it comes to the choice of individuals, knowledge of the candidates and of the job to be done is a basic requirement for those giving advice; and the actual decisions are taken by Ministers, not civil servants. But persons outside the Service will be consulted informally wherever appropriate.
House adjourned at twenty-seven minutes before eight o'clock.