asked the Prime Minister whether the principal grade in the Civil Service is normally entitled to secretarial assistance; and what proportion of principals have such assistance.

No grade in the Civil Service has a strict entitlement to such assistance. A civil servant is only entitled to such assistance if it has been established that the nature and duties of his post necessitate a secretary. A principal would not normally be allowed secretarial assistance under these criteria but, in any instance where the criteria were satisfied, secretarial assistance would be provided, probably on a shared basis. The number of principals with this assistance is not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.