News from the FDA

Theunion of choice for senior managers and professionals in public service

11 June 2002

[For Immediate Use]

FDA response: civil servants and parliamentary questions

Responding to the story in Tuesdays Independent about civil servants in theDepartment of Work and Pensions answering Parliamentary Questions, FDA generalsecretary Jonathan Baume said:

Civil servants have aduty to answer parliamentary questions in a helpful and factual way.Understanding who an MP is and the rationale behind a particular question helpscivil servants prepare an answer on behalf of their minister that satisfies asmuch as possible the concerns of that
particular MP.

Guidance for civilservants is particularly important given the volume of parliamentary questionshandled by departments such as Work and Pensions, and the resulting pressure onthe civil service. Critics who see the guidance as politicising the serviceseem to have grasped the wrong end of the stick.

However, the phrase isit friendly? is open to misinterpretation and clearer guidance would be moreappropriate.

Civil servants arepolitically impartial, but they are there to assist the elected government ofthe day and therefore must be sensitive to the concerns of both ministers andMPs.

Ends

Notesfor Editors

1. TheFDA is the trade union and professional body representing the UKs 11,000senior civil and public servants. Our members include Whitehall policyadvisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants,government lawyers, crown prosecutors and NHS managers

2. Forfurther information contact:

JonathanBaume (general secretary) on 020-7343-1111 or07976-951191 (mobile)

Simon Moore (chief press officer) on020-7343-1111 or 07967 484441 (mobile)