HC Deb 08 December 1959 vol 615 cc223-4
46. Mr. Donnelly

asked the Prime Minister if he will define the responsibilities of the Minister of Defence in respect of serving officers in other Government Departments.

The Prime Minister

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence has no direct responsibilities in respect of serving officers in defence Departments other than his own Ministry. The Ministers in charge of such Departments are, however, required to obtain his approval for certain senior appointments and to consult him about any proposed public statements by such officers bearing upon defence policy.

Mr. Donnelly

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us by what authority the last part of that Answer is inserted? Is it included in the 1958 Defence White Paper, for instance?

The Prime Minister

I should like notice of that, but I think that it is a general understanding that this should be so. It makes for the good working of the whole system as between Ministers.

Mr. Donnelly

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how an individual Minister can be responsible for his own serving officers when at the same time serving officers have to submit their statements to another Minister?

The Prime Minister

In any attempt to co-ordinate policy, whether on defence or on civil matters, it is generally understood that statements of policy will be agreed either with the head of the Government or with the Cabinet as a whole.

Mr. Bellenger

Will the Prime Minister try to elucidate the matter a little further? Must a serving officer wishing to make a public statement on defence policy submit his manuscript to his own head of Department—the Secretary of State for War and so on— and does the Secretary of State consult the Minister of Defence before the statement is passed or rejected?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. It is not intended to interfere with a purely professional lecture or debate, but it is to the general advantage that where there are matters affecting defence policy as a whole, a procedure such as that which the right hon. Gentleman has indicated should be followed.