News

.... a weekly column from Michael Howard MP

19 April 2007

 

The relationship between Ministers and civil servants is often a mystery to the outside world. The best insight into it was that provided by the comedy series ‘Yes Minister.’ I am often asked whether it was accurate and usually reply that it was an understatement. People think I’m joking. I’m not.

Yet at the heart of the series was a recognition, very grudging, that in the end, it is the Minister’s job to decide. Indeed the whole concept of ‘Yes Minister’ revolved around the lengths to which civil servants will sometimes go to get their Ministers to decide the way they think right.

These thoughts have been prompted by some interesting revelations that have come to light in recent weeks. They have, to some extent, lifted the veil.

It follows from what I have already said that Ministers are responsible for taking the decisions and for their consequences. If they turn out to be disastrously wrong it is the Minister who must accept responsibility.

But a particular kind of responsibility attaches to Ministers who take decisions against the advice of their civil servants. If they were warned of the likely consequences and ploughed on regardless the blame they will have to accept is a heavy burden.

That is why so much interest has been taken into the advice given to Gordon Brown on two of the most controversial decisions he has taken as Chancellor of the Exchequer. The first was the decision to change the taxation arrangements of pension funds which has caused such havoc with the pension entitlements of so many people. That has always been widely regarded as a mistake. But now we know that Treasury advisers told Mr Brown in advance of that budget, was told how damaging the consequences of that change would be.

The second relates to Mr Brown’s decision to sell large quantities of gold. This now appears to have cost the taxpayer billions of pounds – and again was made against clear and specific advice.

Ministers are entitled to the credit when they get things right. But they must accept the blame when they get them wrong – especially when they have done so against the advice of their officials. That can be quite uncomfortable – as Mr Brown is now discovering to his cost.