Private-Public Sector Contacts (Hansard, 15 July 1985)

§ 40. Mr. Dalyell
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards encouraging contacts between senior civil servants and leading City business men.

§ Mr. Hayhoe
Such contacts form a natural part of the work of many senior civil servants. The interchange of staff between the Civil Service and the private sector has been encouraged over the years by successive Governments as a means of improving mutual understanding between the Government and industry.

§ Mr. Dalyell
What response have Ministers made to the serious statements contained in an article in the Daily Star on 13 June concerning the case of Hilda Murrell and highlighting an alleged relationship between the distinguished Cabinet Secretary, Sir Robert Armstrong, and Sir Dallas Bernard, a director of Zeus Securities?
For what particular purposes does the taxpayer finance the activities of Zeus Securities? For what purposes does the taxpayer finance the activities of Mr. Gary Murray? I know that a writ has been issued by Sir James Starritt in relation to the article, but ought there not to be a Government statement on these alarming statements?

§ Mr. Hayhoe
That supplementary question goes way outside the original question. However, thinking that the hon. Gentleman might seek practically to abuse the procedures of the House in that way, I have had inquiries made. While Sir Robert Armstrong has a long-standing personal friendship, though by no means a close one, with Sir Dallas Bernard, he has at no time had any official dealings either with Sir Dallas Bernard as a director of Zeus Security Consultants, or in any other capacity, or with Zeus Security Consultants and he did not know until he read the article in the Daily Star on 13 June that Sir Dallas was a director of that company. I think it wrong that the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) should peddle and give credence to tittle tattle of this kind by his supplementary questions in the House.

§ Sir Dudley Smith
On a far more important question, is my right hon. Friend aware that the relationship between senior civil servants and the whole industrial spectrum is far better than it was, for example, two decades ago, but that it is still capable of improvement and that we have many lessons to learn from a number of other countries, not least Japan?

§ Mr. Hayhoe
I agree with my hon. Friend. Encouraging contacts between the Civil Service and industry and commerce is of value to both the public and private sectors.

§ Mr. Dalyell
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I wish to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.