HC Deb 16 June 1966 vol 729 c1651
03. Mr. Ridley

asked the Prime Minister how many official Press officers are employed at 10, Downing Street.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

Three of the rank of senior information officer or above.

Mr. Ridley

Would it not be better if these official Press officers were used for "leaking" the private meetings of the Parliamentary Labour Party so that we might hear both sides of the story and get it right?

The Prime Minister

Unlike the previous Government, we do not use Government servants for doing party work.

Mr. J. E. B. Hill

Do the three Press officers include the Prime Minister's special private photographer?

The Prime Minister

I have not got a special private photographer.

Mr. Heath

In view of what the right hon. Gentleman has said about the staffing of No. 10, can he confirm that they had nothing to do with the issue of the news release of his statement yesterday to his own party meeting and, in particular, that they were not responsible for putting on the Press hand-oust of his speech: All press releases are issued on a check against delivery basis"?

The Prime Minister

This was done, appropriately, by the party secretariat. The right hon. Gentleman will understand that misleading accounts of what I said might lead to a lot of misunderstandings abroad. Since it was a party occasion, it was put out by the party secretariat, because, as I say, we do not believe in spending Government money in keeping expensive Ministers engaged on party work.