HC Deb 09 December 1996 vol 287 cc5-6
4. Mr. Mudie

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he last met the Cabinet Secretary to discuss the responsibilities of civil servants. [6497]

The Deputy Prime Minister

We meet to discuss civil service matters whenever necessary.

Mr. Mudie

Will the Deputy Prime Minister place on record his regret at the two recent Government attempts to force civil servants to breach their political neutrality? Will he also convey to the Cabinet Secretary the thanks of the House for his prompt action to stop that happening?

The Deputy Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman will know that, as there is no validity in either of his suggestions, there is nothing for which to apologise. It does no good at all for the Labour party to try to undermine the credibility of our civil service and to think that the civil service would have any involvement in the politicisation of its activities. That is not compatible with Government policy and it is totally inconsistent with the high standards of the civil service.

Mr. Nicholls

Is there not more than a whiff of cant in complaints about the politicisation of the civil service from a party which makes free and extensive use of leaked and stolen documents? Does my right hon. Friend accept that the only example of such bullying of which I have been made aware in recent days has been the Leader of the Opposition's bullying of his own Members of Parliament when they dare to step out of line?

The Deputy Prime Minister

I think that there is a degree of hypocrisy which of course I deplore, and I deplore nothing more than the document from the Labour party's Campaign group, which suggested—

Mr. Tony Banks

Come on!

The Deputy Prime Minister

I am coming on. That document suggested that Deputy Prime Minister's Question Time should be used to set the "sleaze agenda" and that, prior to my appearance before the Select Committee tomorrow, we should publish a dossier of 'Hessergate' scandals. [Interruption.] I am only quoting from a Labour party document [Interruption.]

Madam Speaker

Order.

The Deputy Prime Minister

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

If the House wishes to understand the lengths to which the Labour party is prepared to go, I will quote further. The document also states: We should publish data on the 20 'sleaziest' quangos, i.e. those with the greatest number of Tory connected members. It goes on to say: These can then be presented as a 'random' selection. As my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) pointed out, a degree of extreme humbug is represented by the Labour party.

Mr. Prescott

Can the Deputy Prime Minister confirm that his co-ordinated group of privatised company cheerleaders has been forced to cancel its first rehearsal owing to lack of interest? And is that any wonder, given that up to 100 of his own Members of Parliament are refusing to support the Government's European policy in their election addresses? Is it not the case that the Tory party is a party that cannot be led, with a leader who cannot lead?

The Deputy Prime Minister

I see that the soundbite philosophy of the leader of the Labour party has now—some months later—percolated down to the deputy leader. I thought that we were talking about the behaviour of civil servants. Perhaps we should bear in mind what was said by the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) about a civil servant, as reported in the 29 November issue of the Financial Times: I remind him that there is likely to be a change of government at the next general election and he must be careful that he does not become one of the Benefit Agency customers he is seeking to punish. I have never seen such a flagrant threat issued by a parliamentary Opposition to a civil servant—that if he did not kowtow to what is suitable for the Labour party he could be sacked if it won a general election.