I've stumbled across a small tale that brilliantly illustrates the importance of thinking before you answer a question.

Sir Oliver Franks was Ambassador to the United States in the late 1940s. One year, a Washington radio station asked various ambassadors what they would most like for Christmas. The French Ambassador responded that he would like to see peace throughout the world. The Russian Ambassador said he wanted to see working people of the world freed from imperialism. Franks' response was less ambitious - "that's very kind of you," he said, "I'd quite like a box of crystallised fruit." Not quite what the radio station had in mind.

Aside from that slip up, Franks is a fascinating character, not least because he appears to be the first of many civil servants who have called for greater support for professional skills in Whitehall.

In the next Civil Service World (published 8 Feb), we've got an exclusive interview with Richard Douglas, head of the Government Finance Profession. It's worth watching out for, as his proposals for boosting the professions will affect pretty much everyone in the civil service...