HC Deb 09 July 1974 vol 876 cc1134-6
Q1. Mr. Kinnock

asked the Prime Minister what staff changes he has made to the CPRS since his administration took office.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

None, Sir. Three members of the CPRS have left voluntarily and there have been three new appointments.

Mr. Kinnock

Is my right hon. Friend aware that those three voluntary leavers have all left the "think tank" for the rather muddier waters of the Conservative Central Office? Is he aware that the first of them, Mr. Brian Reading, was the man who coined the phrase "at a stroke" and that the second of them, Mr. William Waldegrave, was speech-writer to the Leader of the Opposition during the recent General Election? Bearing this tradition in mind, should not my right hon. Friend release Mr. Adam Ridley, who is the latest leaver, and not merely release him but give him a car to take him over to Conservative Central Office, where he can join his erstwhile colleagues in giving further assistance to the Leader of the Opposition, who obviously needs it?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. The first two cases are not contained within the Question, which relates to the period since the present administration took office. Mr. Reading, I understand, was in the CPRS but he left to go to journalism, I think. The second gentleman mentioned by my hon. Friend left the CPRS before the change of government. The third is a Civil Servant who would normally have gone back to the Treasury. He is resigning from the Civil Service after a three-year secondment from the Treasury to the CPRS. What happens to him after that is not a matter for concern for those in charge of the CPRS. I understand that he will be having a suitable period of quarantine before going to any future employment.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Is it true that the "think tank" is currently hawking its favours around Whitehall to try to find something to think about?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. I have never heard anything further from the truth. This organisation, which has now served two Governments, is an extremely valuable new instrument in government. Last week for the first time—a new precedent—we published one of its reports, which was extremely valuable in provoking public discussion. It is an entirely non-political organisation which serves the Government by taking up particular questions either of current concern or of long-term concern to the nation which sometimes under successive Governments, have not been given the depth of study which they might have had.

Mr. Heath

As certain names have been mentioned in the House, will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that in all three cases propriety has been observed to the full? Will he confirm that in the first place Mr. Reading had been at the Department of Economic Affairs before he came to the research department, was then recruited to the Cabinet Office, moved on promotion from the Cabinet Office to the CPRS and then left to join the Economist, which was a perfectly proper arrangement for him to undertake? Will the right hon. Gentle man confirm that the suggestion that the second person, Mr. Waldegrave, came from the Conservative research department into the CPRS is quite untrue? He followed a normal university career, both here and in America, and was recruited to the CPRS and left before the General Election. In the third case, will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that it was an entirely Civil Service career in the DEA, the Treasury and the CPRS and that there will now be a proper period, as with all civil servants, before he takes up other employment? I see no reason for criticism of either the CPRS or of any individual.

The Prime Minister

I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will not feel it entirely unrelated to the Question if I congratulate him in joining me at the age of 58 today. He usually does this two or three months afterwards. I can assure him that it is a very pleasant age at which to live.

On the questions that the right hon. Gentleman has put, I think I had already confirmed most of what he said in relation to Mr. Reading, whose help the right hon. Gentleman will no doubt never forget. What he said about Mr. Waldegrave is entirely true. He left before the General Election. Mr. Ridley is now following the normal quarantine provisions for the Civil Service.

Mr. Heath

I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his good wishes. He will have noticed from the morning and evening Press that age is not the only thing in which we appear to be joined together today.

The Prime Minister

Both the right hon. Gentleman and I have been misled for some years over these things before. I thought our majority this year would have been much higher.