§ Lord O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will investigate whether civil servants seconded to the EEC have lost opportunities of promotion.
§ The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Lord Soames)Civil servants are seconded to the EEC under the "Seconded Experts" and "Temporary Exchange" Schemes; the maximum secondment permitted by the EEC is three years. During their absence civil servants are considered for promotion alongside their contemporaries at home. I am not aware of any civil servants on secondment who have lost their promotion opportunities, but if my noble friend has any specific cases in mind I will gladly look into them.