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SECRET
15
the Parliamentary Secretaries of the Depart-
the Board of Trade, and the Ministers of Sup-
ments.
ply, Fuel and Power, Agriculture, Transport,
This pyramid concentrates great power and
and Works, together with the Minister of La-
planning responsibility in the hands of the
bour because of his concern in the whole ques-
Prime Minister and the three Ministers direct-
tion of manpower, and the Minister of Health,
ly next to him. It is buttressed and supported
because the Ministry of Health is responsible
by the series of functional policy-making com-
for housing. He is also Chairman of the Joint
mittees, the most important of which the
Planning Board, which has to consider the
Prime Minister personally directs, and which
practical industrial application of economic
form an integral part of the present pattern
policy and on which ministers, industrialists,
of government. He is the chairman of the
and trades unionists sit. Herbert Morrison is
Economic Policy Committee, of which the
responsible for the coordination of social serv-
other principal members are the Chancellor
ices and of general domestic policy in the non-
of the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary, the
economic field, including the government in-
Lord President, and the Lord Privy Seal. This
formation services. Moreover he has the re-
Committee decides the general policy to be
sponsibility for supervising the whole of the
followed nationally and internationally in
legislative program and for securing a correct
finance, trade, and industry, determines the
balance between reconstruction and reform
broad distribution of manpower and material
measures.
resources and the correct balance between
Somewhat comparable functions in the field
capital and consumption expenditure. The
of defense are exercised by A. V. Alexander,
Prime Minister is also Chairman of the De-
but he is ranked beneath Bevin, Cripps, and
fense Committee, which decides over-all Brit-
Morrison in the pyramid, both because his per-
ish strategy and the size and deployment of
sonal authority is not so great as theirs and
British forces. He concerns himself simi-
because the Defense Committee over which
larly with the direction of broad policy in ex-
the Prime Minister presides (and of which the
ternal affairs, and with a committee dealing
Minister of Defense and the Chiefs of Staff
with the development of atomic energy for
are members) deals with defense policy in con-
both military and industrial purposes. The
siderable detail. What is left to the Minister
pattern thus provides machinery for the posi-
of Defense is therefore primarily the task of
tive direction and supervision of all major
executive coordination, which is carried out
aspects of policy by the Prime Minister to an
through a committee of the three Service Min-
extent that would be quite impossible under
isters and their advisors, of which he is chair-
the old Cabinet system, in view of the present
man.
volume of government business.
The administrative functions of govern-
The three senior Ministers immediately next
ment, SO vastly increased during recent years,
to the Prime Minister, Bevin, Cripps, and Mor-
are directly under supervision of the Cabinet,
rison, have broader responsibilities along with
whose principal members themselves head the
those of their ministries. Each is in control
greatest departments and are answerable at
of the coordination of policy in one particular
question time in the House of Commons for
sector of affairs. Bevin in addition to his
any shortcomings. However able may be the
direct responsibilities as Foreign Secretary
politician selected to head a great department,
maintains a general oversight over the whole
he is probably not acquainted with its detailed
field of overseas policy including Common-
working, and is therefore greatly dependent
wealth and colonial affairs. Cripps is respon-
upon his permanent staff of civil servants.
sible for the direction of both financial and
The British Civil Service since its reform in
economic policy-an immense field-and is
the middle of the nineteenth century has at-
chairman of the executive arm of the Prime
tained an unrivalled reputation for incorrupti-
Minister's Economic Policy Committee. This
bility and competence. It is entirely non-
is a committee of all the Ministers in charge
political. Administratively the civil service is
of production departments: the President of
under the direction of the Treasury; it has an
ECRED
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"ocrText": "SECRET\n15\nthe Parliamentary Secretaries of the Depart-\nthe Board of Trade, and the Ministers of Sup-\nments.\nply, Fuel and Power, Agriculture, Transport,\nThis pyramid concentrates great power and\nand Works, together with the Minister of La-\nplanning responsibility in the hands of the\nbour because of his concern in the whole ques-\nPrime Minister and the three Ministers direct-\ntion of manpower, and the Minister of Health,\nly next to him. It is buttressed and supported\nbecause the Ministry of Health is responsible\nby the series of functional policy-making com-\nfor housing. He is also Chairman of the Joint\nmittees, the most important of which the\nPlanning Board, which has to consider the\nPrime Minister personally directs, and which\npractical industrial application of economic\nform an integral part of the present pattern\npolicy and on which ministers, industrialists,\nof government. He is the chairman of the\nand trades unionists sit. Herbert Morrison is\nEconomic Policy Committee, of which the\nresponsible for the coordination of social serv-\nother principal members are the Chancellor\nices and of general domestic policy in the non-\nof the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary, the\neconomic field, including the government in-\nLord President, and the Lord Privy Seal. This\nformation services. Moreover he has the re-\nCommittee decides the general policy to be\nsponsibility for supervising the whole of the\nfollowed nationally and internationally in\nlegislative program and for securing a correct\nfinance, trade, and industry, determines the\nbalance between reconstruction and reform\nbroad distribution of manpower and material\nmeasures.\nresources and the correct balance between\nSomewhat comparable functions in the field\ncapital and consumption expenditure. The\nof defense are exercised by A. V. Alexander,\nPrime Minister is also Chairman of the De-\nbut he is ranked beneath Bevin, Cripps, and\nfense Committee, which decides over-all Brit-\nMorrison in the pyramid, both because his per-\nish strategy and the size and deployment of\nsonal authority is not so great as theirs and\nBritish forces. He concerns himself simi-\nbecause the Defense Committee over which\nlarly with the direction of broad policy in ex-\nthe Prime Minister presides (and of which the\nternal affairs, and with a committee dealing\nMinister of Defense and the Chiefs of Staff\nwith the development of atomic energy for\nare members) deals with defense policy in con-\nboth military and industrial purposes. The\nsiderable detail. What is left to the Minister\npattern thus provides machinery for the posi-\nof Defense is therefore primarily the task of\ntive direction and supervision of all major\nexecutive coordination, which is carried out\naspects of policy by the Prime Minister to an\nthrough a committee of the three Service Min-\nextent that would be quite impossible under\nisters and their advisors, of which he is chair-\nthe old Cabinet system, in view of the present\nman.\nvolume of government business.\nThe administrative functions of govern-\nThe three senior Ministers immediately next\nment, SO vastly increased during recent years,\nto the Prime Minister, Bevin, Cripps, and Mor-\nare directly under supervision of the Cabinet,\nrison, have broader responsibilities along with\nwhose principal members themselves head the\nthose of their ministries. Each is in control\ngreatest departments and are answerable at\nof the coordination of policy in one particular\nquestion time in the House of Commons for\nsector of affairs. Bevin in addition to his\nany shortcomings. However able may be the\ndirect responsibilities as Foreign Secretary\npolitician selected to head a great department,\nmaintains a general oversight over the whole\nhe is probably not acquainted with its detailed\nfield of overseas policy including Common-\nworking, and is therefore greatly dependent\nwealth and colonial affairs. Cripps is respon-\nupon his permanent staff of civil servants.\nsible for the direction of both financial and\nThe British Civil Service since its reform in\neconomic policy-an immense field-and is\nthe middle of the nineteenth century has at-\nchairman of the executive arm of the Prime\ntained an unrivalled reputation for incorrupti-\nMinister's Economic Policy Committee. This\nbility and competence. It is entirely non-\nis a committee of all the Ministers in charge\npolitical. Administratively the civil service is\nof production departments: the President of\nunder the direction of the Treasury; it has an\nECRED"
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