HL Deb 28 April 1998 vol 589 cc146-8

2.55 p.m.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will define the role of the press secretary in the Prime Minister's office, and its relationship with Ministers.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the Prime Minister's chief press secretary advises the Prime Minister on the effective presentation of government policy. He also leads the No. 10 press office and the strategic communications unit, ensuring that the essential messages and key themes which underpin the Government's strategy are sustained and co-ordinated across government liaising closely with departmental press offices. The relationship between the chief press secretary and the No. 10 press office and Ministers is set out in paragraph 88 of the ministerial code.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, does not a little confusion arise from the title of chief press secretary? Is it not a fact that if Mr. Campbell had done or said anything which he ought not to have done or said he would have been smacked down a long time ago? Is not his real role to save the Prime Minister from getting involved in the inevitable unpleasantness of keeping Ministers in order and in fact to play Mr. Hyde to the Prime Minister's Dr. Jekyll?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, the title of chief press secretary has, if not a venerable, certainly an honourable history. The press secretaries to Sir Edward Heath, to the noble Baroness, Lady Thatcher, and to John Major were all called chief press secretary. I do not know whether the same criticisms that the noble Lord makes of Mr. Alastair Campbell apply to those as well.

Lord Janner of Braunstone

My Lords, in those circumstances, would my noble friend consider having a word with Sir Bernard Ingham to see how the chief press secretary might run his office in a more reticent and self-effacing way, while at the same time helping to achieve for the Prime Minister the highest level of public acceptability of any Prime Minister since the war?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, Sir Bernard Ingham was a civil servant rather than a special adviser. It is well known that he refrained from any activities which could possibly be called party political and refrained from any activities which might lead him to make statements about the qualities, good or bad, of any Ministers in the Thatcher Government.

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, the House will be indebted to my noble friend for raising what is an extremely important and serious subject. Will the Minister advise the House when the Civil Service rules were altered to enable Mr. Campbell to give instructions to civil servants? Did that include the power to instruct Ministers themselves? Furthermore, are faxes to Ministers, such as those to Mr. Field or Ms Harman, cleared in each case by the Prime Minister; and if not, will he explain the line of accountability to Parliament for such directions by Mr. Campbell to Ministers of the Crown'?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, I do not deny the importance of Mr. Alastair Campbell. It would he more than my job is worth to do so. However, the importance of this Question under the eye of the cosmos is greater for those who are more interested in process than in the product of government. As the noble Lord well knows, the conditions under which Mr. Campbell was appointed were determined by an Order in Council on 3rd May which provided for three special advisers, although only two are in post, who do have the power to give instructions to civil servants. As regards Mr. Campbell's faxes to Ministers, they were made with the full authority of the Prime Minister.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, may I express our congratulations to the noble Lord on his care this afternoon not to incur the wrath of Mr. Campbell? Has the noble Lord in his memory any incident when Sir Bernard Ingham actually took it upon himself, and in his own name, to advise Ministers "Go easy with the lunches"?

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, again those who are interested in the process of government rather than its product certainly have a voice and it should be heard. I think of Sir Bernard Ingham as someone who put an end to the careers of some Ministers by such phrases as "semi-detached".