§ Q3. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Minister with sole responsibility for the work of the Central Policy Review Staff.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The Central Policy Review Staff is at the disposal of the Government as a whole and works for Ministers collectively.
Mr. Brnce-GardyneI am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply. Would he not agree that this body may need rather closer political supervision? Has his attention been drawn to a recent Press report of a speech of Lord Rothschild, in which the noble Lord said that he and his thinkers were busy studying where the Government had not deviated from their election manifesto but ought to have done so? Is this really a thoroughly suitable occupation for a bunch of civil servants, however eminent?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is well known to administrations of both major political parties that Government Departments constantly analyse and take account of both Government political manifestos and Opposition manifestos. It is absolutely right that they should do so.
§ Mr. ThorpeIf the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) is right and Lord Rothschild is working on those aspects of Tory policy which have not been traduced since the General Election, may we take it from that that Lord Rothschild's team is working only part-time?
§ The Prime MinisterIf that were to be so, it would be because the Government will, by the end of this Session, have carried through the greater part of the legislative programme set out in the manifesto.
§ Mr. AtkinsonWhat are the general directions given to this team? There is misunderstanding throughout the country about whether it is the Government's intention to return as soon as possible to an entirely free market economy or 234 whether the Prime Minister's personal view will now prevail and that we should look forward to intervention in the economy for the foreseeable future.
§ The Prime MinisterI have repeatedly told the hon. Gentleman and the House, as well as telling the TUC and the CBI on countless occasions, that it is the Government's desire to return to an entirely voluntary policy which would be negotiated between the TUC, the CBI and the Government.
§ Mr. BennDid the Central Policy Review Staff work on the BSA support programme announced yesterday, on which it appears that the Government have been engaged for two months? Is the CPRS working on individual projects of that kind?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is not the task of the CPRS to work on individual projects, unless they are matters which, under the instructions of a Minister, it is asked to work on because they cover more than one Department. The right hon. Gentleman will know from his own experience that there are at times matters which cross the boundaries of a number of Departments. One of the useful purposes of the CPRS would be to do an analysis covering several Departments.