asked the Prime Minister whether the present Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence is to have any duties or any staff additional to those which appertained to his predecessor; and whether the present Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is to have any staff and duties, and, if so, what duties other than that of representing the Defence Minister in this House?

The arrangements in regard to these matters cannot be determined in detail until there has been an opportunity for discussion with the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence who only reached this country on Saturday afternoon on his return from India.

Has it been decided where these two Ministers will be housed? Will they be housed under the same roof?

If the hon. Member means whether they will have offices under the same roof, the answer is "Yes"

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his superior choice of words, may I ask him whether he can assure the House that the staff provided for these Ministers will be more effective than that given to their predecessor who has now left that office?

That would be impossible.