Part of Opposition Day – in the House of Commons at 7:53 pm on 3 July 2000.
To avoid confusion, would the right hon. Gentleman say exactly where he comes from on this matter? The Opposition motion states that the Opposition
believes that the number, and activities, of Special Advisers is prejudicing the impartiality of the Civil Service and accountability of government,
but the Neill committee inquiry and report explicitly repudiated that view. Is the right hon. Gentleman making a party speech, or does he claim to speak on behalf of the Neill Committee, which said something completely opposite to what he is saying?