HC Deb 18 November 1998 vol 319 cc926-7
5. Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)

What new measures he plans to take to ensure the independence of the Civil Service. [58916]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Peter Kilfoyle)

The role of the civil service, as summarised in the "Civil Service Code", is to assist the duly constituted Government of the day with integrity, honesty, impartiality and objectivity. We intend to bring forward legislation to give statutory force to the code as and when a suitable opportunity occurs. The "Ministerial Code" requires Ministers to uphold the political impartiality of the civil service.

Mr. Swayne

Does the Minister believe that the taxpayer is getting value for money for Alastair Campbell at £90,000 a year for a job which the Prime Minister describes as one of attacking the Opposition, and which the press are increasingly discovering to be one of concealing information, or providing misleading information?

Mr. Kilfoyle

It is arrant nonsense to talk about the Government concealing information, certainly about the role of the chief press spokesman for the Prime Minister and those in similar posts. We have set out clearly and publicly to place presentation at the heart of Government. We have made it clear, and we make no apology for saying, that we shall drive our agenda forward from the centre in a way that will not compromise the political impartiality of civil servants. That is the role of special advisers.

Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich)

Is my hon. Friend aware that, after 18 years in which it was said that the only question asked of any civil servant was, "Is he one of us?", Labour Members not only expect the Government to maintain the independence of the civil service but strongly believe that that is the only way in which the interests of the public will be preserved?

Mr. Kilfoyle

I could not but agree with my hon. Friend. The use of special advisers in certain matters means that we avoid the dangers, which many people would allege that the previous Government strayed into, of politically compromising regular civil servants. We have no intention of doing that.

Sir George Young (North-West Hampshire)

Was not my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) right to focus on the independence of the civil service and to draw attention to the injury done to that tradition of impartial civil servants by the Government doubling the number of special advisers and giving them pay increases way above the average of those given to other civil servants? If one sets that centralising tendency against all the others displayed by the Government, are we not right to conclude that the country needs not more central enforcement from the Minister for the Cabinet Office, but less?

Mr. Kilfoyle

Let me make it clear to the right hon. Gentleman that we said at the outset that the Government would place the drive for implementing our programme at the very heart of Government. That is why, in July, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reconfigured the Cabinet Office. We have also clearly and unequivocally said what role we expect special advisers to fulfil. I point out to the right hon. Gentleman, who mentioned costs, that the average salary paid to a special adviser under the present Government is £1,000 less than the previous Government paid their special advisers.

Mr. Denis MacShane (Rotherham)

Has my hon. Friend read the remarkable article by the Prime Minister in the new issue of Prospect magazine, in which he asserts the independence and integrity of the civil service and invites civil servants to think across Departments, learn from mistakes, extend boundaries rather than protect turf, and work closely with their European counterparts to advance the interests of the nation and the Government? Will my hon. Friend distribute copies of that article throughout the civil service to encourage initiative and independence and acknowledge its contribution to good government of our nation?

Mr. Kilfoyle

I thank my hon. Friend for reminding me of the occasion on which that speech was made. I am sure that it was so inspirational that, if we made copies available, even Conservative Members would be moved to recognise the Prime Minister's commitment to joined-up government, better government and an efficient civil service. That commitment was certainly recognised by the members of the senior civil service who were present when the speech was made.