HC Deb 01 April 1965 vol 709 cc1842-3
Q1. Mr. Younger

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware of the recent practice in newspapers and periodicals of attributing opinions to individual civil servants who are unable to issue a repudiation or take any other action; and if he will amend the regulations of the service so as to enable civil servants to issue denials or to pursue a remedy at law if this is considered appropriate.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

I have noticed some signs of this, but I do not think that the hon. Member's suggestion is necessary.

Mr. Younger

Is the Prime Minister aware that a leading Sunday newspaper announced last month in a leading article its express intention to probe the private and political opinions of senior civil servants? Does he not agree that this would undermine the principle of Ministerial responsibility and would put these civil servants in an intolerable position?

The Prime Minister

I entirely agree with what the hon. Member has said. He expressed perfectly my own view, and I am sure that of hon. Members in all parts of the House, about this. Although I think that this new venture has been done for what are regarded as the best of reasons, this is a system we do not have in this country. It is familiar in Washington where there is probing of individual Departments. The job of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees is to see that things are brought up where there are disagreements between Departments, as there must be, but to look for evidence of it, to seek and probe for evidence of it in this way, is, I think, harmful to the conduct of government and the way we do it. I assure the House that this new departure is being met quite firmly as far as we are concerned and that anyone appointed to do this job will have no more facilities than any other journalist.

Sir Knox Cunningham

Will the Prime Minister consider this in reverse, extending it to those Ministers who leak their views to the Press and by so doing avoid taking responsibility for them?

Mr. Speaker

Order. That does not arise from the Answer.