ABSTRACT
In 1953 arrangements were made to transfer the Economic Section from the Cabinet Office to the Treasury. The precise timing of the transfer seems to have been determined by a personal factor. Throughout most of 1952 and early 1953 there had been constant friction between the Section and OF (the Overseas Finance Division of the Treasury) over the Robot proposal to make the pound convertible at a floating rate. There was a time when Hall was not on speaking terms with Rowan and Clarke. Meanwhile Plowden, who did not enjoy the close relationship with Butler that he had had with Cripps and Gaitskell, had been offered attractive posts outside the Treasury and had finally made up his mind to leave. With this example, and with friction continuing, Hall was tempted to go too. When he announced his intention of doing so, Bridges and the Chancellor were taken aback and begged him to stay. By the middle of 1953 the Chancellor had come to rely heavily on his advice and was anxious that any obstacles to his retention in the Treasury should be removed. It was this situation that precipitated the integration of the Economic Section and a ‘general post’ within the Treasury, one effect of which was to move Clarke out of OF to other duties.
