§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Prime Minister whether he will review the rules governing the extent to which civil servants may engage in political activities.
§ The Prime MinisterThe National Staff Side of the Civil Service Whitley Council has represented to the Government that there should be independent inquiry into these rules. The Government have accordingly decided to set up a Committee of Inquiry with the following terms of reference
To review the rules governing the active participation by civil servants in national and local political activities; and to make recommendations.I have appointed Sir Arthur Armitage, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, as chairman and I am grateful to him for agreeing to undertake this task. I have it in mind that the Committee might operate rather on the lines of the Committee under Sir John Masterman, which reviewed these matters in a report published in June 1949. The Committee will, in addition to the Chairman, comprise some nine or 10 senior people, and a further statement will be made when the membership is complete.