sentences:  He returned to office after a period of sick leave but shortly after made known to his Second Permanent Secretary, Ian Bancroft, that he had been approached to accept appointment as Chairman of the Midland Bank.There was internal discussion between Bancroft, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Prime Minister (by this time not Heath but Harold Wilson) as to the propriety of an official who was so close to the government's handling of economic affairs moving to the chairmanship of a clearing bank.Somewhat earlier the outgoing Chancellor of the Exchequer, Anthony Barber, had taken up the chairmanship of the Standard Chartered Bank.