In the Departments

Abstract

Sir Frank Lee’s move to the Treasury in January 1960, though the most consequential for Britain’s relationship with Europe, was not the only significant move among officials to take place during those crucial months and years. Sir Richard Powell, previously at the Ministry of Defence, was appointed (unexpectedly, he recalls) to replace Sir Frank Lee as permanent secretary to the BOT.1 Sir Richard’s appointment presented Maudling with a permanent secretary whose views on Europe were considerably at odds with his own. In the FO at the same time, Edward Tomkins, on his return from Paris to Wiiitehall, set about establishing the Western Organizations Department to deal with the political aspects of Britain’s relationship with the various defence and economic institutions - a task that had, until then, been spread thinly across various FO departments. These changes represented an important development in the management of British policy. It would seem appropriate, at this juncture, to put them into the context of the attitudes and ideas that lay behind policy formulation from the perspective of the three departments most involved in the issue: the Treasury, the BOT and the FO.