From Salon Magazine:

I wish there were more for Michael Kitchen as M's assistant, but someone had the very bright idea of casting John Cleese as the protégé of Desmond Llewelyn's Q. It's an inspired choice: They share the same dotty disdain. And Llewelyn has been given a charming, fleeting scene with 007 where he seems to be taking the bow he's earned after 17 appearances and nearly 40 years in the series.

-Faux "'twas a good idea" Pas