§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the First Secretary of State will have direct access to officials in other government departments who deal with matters in which he has direct control over government policy or whether he will deal with relevant Ministers responsible for the execution of those policies.
Viscount CranborneThe First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will have meetings with Ministers and officials from other departments as necessary.
§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Prime Minister's reply to Mr. Dowd on 11th July (Commons, Official Report, col. 743) whether the "direct control" by the First Secretary of State "over Government policy on competitiveness and deregulation" includes any responsibility for interest rates, exchange rates, corporate taxation, health and safety at work, industrial relations legislation, and regulations and directives imposed by the European Union.
Viscount CranborneIssues of competitiveness and deregulation inevitably cross the boundaries of different government departments, and in discharging his general responsibilities for competitiveness and deregulation, the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister will work closely with his ministerial colleagues, whose responsibilities for specific areas of policies remain unaffected.