Yes, Prime Minister (TV Series)

The Key (1986)

Peter Cellier: Sir Frank Gordon, Permanent Secretary of the Treasury

Photos 

Quotes 

• Jim Hacker : But if, as you say, he's not overstretched.

  Sir Frank Gordon : Ah, when I say not overstretched, I was of course talking in a sense of total cumulative loading taken globally, rather than in respect of certain individual and essentially anomalous responsibilities which are not, logically speaking, consonant or harmonious with the broad spectrum of intermeshing and inseparable functions, and could indeed be said to place an excessive and supererogatory burden on the office, where considered in relation to the comparatively exiguous advantages of their overall centralisation.

  Jim Hacker : You *could* do part of Humphrey's job!

• [the PM is considering taking the joint headship of the civil service away from Humphrey and making Frank the full head] 

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Oh, Frank.

  Sir Frank Gordon : Yes?

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Good meeting with the PM?

  Sir Frank Gordon : Yes, very good.

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Good. Any particular subject come up?

  Sir Frank Gordon : Any particular subject you're interested in?

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : No, not particularly. He didn't raise the issue of service appointments and so on?

  Sir Frank Gordon : It may have cropped up.

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Did he foreshadow any redistribution of responsibility?

  Sir Frank Gordon : Shall we say it was a wide-ranging discussion.

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Did it move towards any conclusion?

  Sir Frank Gordon : There were arguments on both sides.

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : Evenly balanced?

  Sir Frank Gordon : Perhaps tending slightly more one way than the other.

  Sir Humphrey Appleby : But nothing to worry about?

  Sir Frank Gordon : Nothing for *me* to worry about. See you this afternoon.