Top mandarin ‘gave SNP advice on UK break-up’

SCOTLAND’S top civil servant has come under fire in the House of Lords, with peers claiming he has abandoned impartiality to help to advise the SNP on breaking up the United Kingdom.

The Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour leaders in the Scottish Parliament have all made official complaints to the UK’s most senior civil servant, Sir Gus O’Donnell, outlining their concerns about Sir Peter Housden.

Labour’s Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, a former member of the Scottish Parliament, said Sir Peter was “advising the SNP government on the tactics and policy in relation to the break-up of the United Kingdom”.

He said: “Surely it is the responsibility of Sir Gus O’Donnell to say to Sir Peter Housden that he should be advising the SNP only on devolved areas and not on matters that are reserved to this parliament, particularly those that are politically sensitive.”

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, a former Tory Scottish secretary, said: “What on earth is going on when the permanent secretary for the Scottish Executive is circulating what is described as an internal blog, this is a newsletter, to civil servants in the Scottish Office which, amongst other things, advised them to go and see a play about an army of occupation in 11th-century Scotland, which he says ‘does genuinely speak to our present condition as a nation’?

“What on earth is this government doing in standing aside? Surely it is the absolute duty of the Cabinet Secretary to maintain the impartiality of the civil service, which is a centrepiece of our constitution?”

Liberal Democrat Lord Stephens, a former Scottish MP, said: “Most people in Scotland would far rather highly-paid civil servants spent their time improving the education system in Scotland, the health service in Scotland, the transport networks in Scotland, rather than pandering to the party political objectives of our First Minister in Scotland.

“The core issue should not be about the independence of Scotland. It should be about the independence and neutrality and objectivity of our civil service, and when that is struck at, as has clearly happened in this instance, that is very worrying not just for Scotland, but for all parts of the United Kingdom.”

Labour’s Lord Sewel added: “Is it proper for the permanent secretary of the Scottish Executive to make clear and in public his own personal views on a matter of controversial policy?”

For the government, Lord Wallace of Saltaire said it was “not appropriate for a minister to comment on the behaviour of a senior civil servant”, but that Sir Gus would write a letter in response to the complaints raised by the three parties.

He said he understood the views expressed by Sir Peter had been in an “internal blog”.

“Members will have their own views on the advisability of blogging, and it was leaked to the Scottish edition of the Daily Telegraph,” he added. “There may be a certain amount of unwisdom there.”

But crossbench peer Lord Butler of Brockwell, a former head of the civil service, said: “Just as it is the duty of the rest of the civil service to support the policies of the administration they serve, so it is the duty of the civil service in Scotland to advise on the policies of the Scottish Executive.”

Lord Wallace replied: “I entirely agree with that. It is important the civil service working for the Scottish Government command the confidence of the Scottish ministers of the day, regardless of their political complexion, just as it is for civil servants working for the UK government.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Civil servants serve the government of the day and undertake work to support their ministers in their aims.

“Sir Gus O’Donnell has made it absolutely clear civil servants in Scotland should support Scottish ministers in developing policy on constitutional change, including independence, and that to do so is entirely consistent with the Civil Service Code.”

SNP MSP and party business convener Derek MacKay accused the opposition parties of “sour grapes” following the Nationalists’ landslide election victory.

He said: “Opposition attempts to politicise the civil service are simply ludicrous. This is simply sour grapes from parties who are still struggling to accept that the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly for a majority SNP government.

“Lord Butler is a respected former civil servant with a long track record of independence. Opposition parties should listen to his advice, stop their petty politics and put forward some positive ideas for the people of Scotland.”