HC Deb 16 February 1983 vol 37 c289
54. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the operation of the rules governing the appearance of retired civil servants before inquiries where their official knowledge is relevant.

The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. Barney Hayhoe)

There are no rules relating specifically to the appearance of retired civil servants before inquiries.

Mr. Dalyell

Had Sir Anthony Parsons offered to give evidence to the Franks committee, is it likely that he would have become special advisor on foreign affairs to the Prime Minister? Had Sir Nicholas Henderson offered to give evidence to the Franks committee, is it likely that he would be the Prime Minister's preferred candidate to succeed George Howard as chairman of the board of governors of the BBC? Is it not extraordinary that the Franks committee did not ask either of those two key witnesses to give evidence? How can we treat as authoritative any report that has such startling omissions?

Mr. Hayhoe

There is no doubt that the supplementary questions asked by the hon. Gentleman have absolutely nothing to do with his original question. They were hypothetical in character. The hon. Gentleman is pursuing his campaign with his considerable ingenuity, by asking questions that have already been answered by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and others.

Mr. Hordern

Does my hon. Friend agree that the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) did much better on the "Lothian question" than he has done on the Falklands, which he has got consistently wrong from beginning to end?

Mr. Hayhoe

I agree with my hon. Friend that the hon. Gentleman has fallen below the high standards that we have come to expect of him in other matters.