Oral Answers to Questions — Naval and Military Pensions and Grants. – in the House of Commons at on 14 February 1924.
Sir John Marriott
, City of York
asked the Prime Minister whether the Government propose to set up again a Select Committee on Estimates; and, if so, whether they propose to give to that Committee the powers proposed by the Select Committee on National Expenditure, 1918?
Mr John Clynes
, Manchester Platting
His Majesty's Government propose to ask the House to reappoint the Estimates Committee on the lines adopted in recent years.
Mr John Clynes
, Manchester Platting
The Government have not yet had time to reach a decision on the question of the powers referred to.
Viscount Curzon
, Battersea South
Will the right hon. Gentleman give consideration to the appointment of a permanent Secretary to this Committee?
Mr William Pringle
, Penistone
Would it not be competent for the House, which is now free, to modify the terms of reference to the Committee, as it pleases?
Mr Leifchild Jones
, Rushcliffe
Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that the Committee on Estimates can be of little value unless it is armed with the powers which the Committee on National Expenditure asked for in 1918?
Mr John Clynes
, Manchester Platting
As I have said, the question of powers has to be considered.
A Permanent Secretary is a top civil servant- there is a permanent secretary in each Office/Dept./Ministry Permanent Secretaries are always Knights, (I.E. "Sir" or "Dame"). BBC Sitcom "Yes Minster" portrays Sir Humprey Appelby as a Permanent Secretary, steretypically spouting lots of red tape and bureacracy.
