§ Mr. Moreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the rules of employment in his Department governing the question of giving of information to the Press by officers of the Department.
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§ Mr. EnnalsThe relevant sections of the staff rules are as follows:—
No member of the staff may publish any book, article, letter, pamphlet or other work relating to or having a bearing on the official business of the Department or of another Government Department without first obtaining the written consent of the Department.…Under the Official Secrets Acts it is an offence for an officer to disclose, either orally or in writing, to an unauthorised person any information he has acquired through his official duties or to which he has access owing to his official position. There is, however, no objection to his repeating information which has already officially been made public. The Official Secrets Acts cover material published in a speech, lecture, radio or television broadcast, in the Press or in book form; they cover non-secret as well as secret information and apply to all persons employed in the service of the Crown not only during an officer's employment but also when he has retired or left the Service. Particular care is necessary in respect of information received in confidence.… It is emphasised that information relating to an insured person or a claimant for benefit, pension, allowance, etc., is to be regarded as held strictly in confidence.…Disciplinary action will be taken in cases of unauthorised disclosure.
§ Mr. Moreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the name, age, length of service, official status and official character of the officer of his Department who has recently been, or is likely shortly to be, dismissed on account of his having made public the details of frauds alleged to have been made on the Department.
§ Mr. EnnalsOne officer has been dismissed from 31st December, 1969, but on more general grounds than those cited in the question; namely, because he deliberately broke important staff rules by:
- 1. Sending, for publication in the Press, articles relating to the official business of the Department without first obtaining the authority of the Department.
- 2. Disclosing information acquired by reason of his official position and in particular information about individual claimants which was obtained in confidence in connection with claims to supplementary benefit; and
- 3. Expressing publicly his views on matters of national political controversy, an activity prohibited to officers in the executive grade.
He was reminded of these staff rules at an interview on 6th October (after publication of his first article) and in writing on 29th October after publication of his second article on 25th October. Despite this he published a further article on 22nd November, 1969. The Department 20W was left with no alternative but to dismiss him for serious breaches of the Civil Service staff rules. It is not customary to publish names of dismissed staff but in this case the name has already been published, in the Press. This officer is Mr. Robin Page, age 26 years, with 5½ service as an executive officer. His official conduct had hitherto been satisfactory.
§ Mr. Moreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what superannuation gratuity and pension rights will remain secured to an officer of the Department who is dismissed on the grounds of his having made public official information coming to his knowledge in the course of his official employment; what rights, under his regulations, such an officer will have to redundancy payments; and what efforts will be made by the Department to secure him alternative employment.
§ Mr EnnalsAn officer who is dismissed for misconduct has no right to any pension or gratuity under the Civil Service Superannuation Acts. No payment in respect of redundancy arises in such cases. The Department has no obligation to secure alternative employment but would consider what help could be given if the officer asked for assistance.