asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the present Permanent and second Permanent Secretaries have spent their entire post-educational life in the Home Civil or Diplomatic Service, ignoring secondment and service with the Armed Forces; and what percentage this represents of the total number of Permanent and second Permanent Secretaries.

Ignoring secondment to and service with the Armed Forces, 27–59 per cent.—of the 46 permanent and second permanent secretaries currently occupying posts in the Home Civil and Diplomatic Services.