§ 56. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he has received any representations from the civil service unions about Sir Robin Butler's appearance before the Select Committee on the Treasury and Civil Service.
§ Mr. DalyellDo we distort or misunderstand Sir Robin Butler's words by suggesting that he took the view that a civil servant's duty and loyalty is now to the Government? Is not that a new doctrine? Some of us had imagined that a civil servant's duty and loyalty was to the Crown. Has there been a change in the constitution?
§ Mr. LuceThere has been no change. We are pursuing policies that successive Governments—both Labour and Conservative—have accepted over the years. Plainly, civil servants owe their duty—as the hon. Gentleman says—to the Crown, but, to all intents and purposes, in those respects the Crown means the elected Government of the 723 day. I am sure that, when the hon. Gentleman's party was in office, Ministers took the same view. The policy remains the same, and will stay the same.