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| Cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill to be questioned by MPs about work of government and Priti Patel - live news | Cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill to be questioned by MPs about work of government and Priti Patel - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| Q: There has been media speculation that you could not focus properly on the problems in the Home Office because of your national security role? | |
| Sedwill says he was on leave some of the time during this period. He would have been on leave even if he had not been national security adviser. But he was in touch constantly anyway. | |
| He says the composition of the job has changed in the past, and will change again in the future. | |
| David Mundell, the Tory former Scottish secretary, is asking questions now. | |
| Q: There has been a lot of criticism of your “double jobbing” (Sedwill being national security adviser and cabinet secretary). How do you respond to that? | |
| Sedwill says this is not a new issue. In the past the cabinet secretary was also running the civil service, doing the job that John Manzoni does. | |
| He says, as cabinet secretary and national security adviser, his responsibilities overlap with the PM’s. | |
| He says before 2010 there was no national security adviser. Before 2010 the cabinet secretary also oversaw national security. | |
| Q: Is there anything that the permanent secretary to the Scottish government does not have to report to you? | |
| Yes, says Sedwill. He says he would not expect the Scottish government’s permanent secretary to tell him about Scottish government policy. | |
| Q: If there was a problem in devolved administrations, would the permanent secretary come to you? | |
| Sedwill says the cabinet secretary could become involved. | |
| Q: Has the permanent secretary in the Scottish or Welsh government ever had to report misbehaviour by a first minister to you? | |
| Sedwill says there is a limit to what he can say on this case. But he says the system as he described (that ultimately a complaint would be brought to him) has applied. | |
| Q: Why is the Northern Ireland civil service considered a separate service, but not the Scottish and Welsh civil service? | |
| Sedwill says the Northern Ireland civil service is separate because the Irish civil service was separate before 1922. That separation continued after 1922, he says. But he says they try to bind the Northern Ireland civil service into the GB one, so that they have access to the same talent pool. | |
| Q: Do permanent secretaries still have weekly meetings? | |
| Yes, says Sedwill. | |
| Q: And government policy is discussed there? | |
| Yes, says Sedwill. They also talk about civil service capabilities. | |
| Q: Do the permanent secretaries of the Scottish and Welsh government attend? | |
| Normally yes, says Sedwill. But he says that was not the case during the 2014 referendum (when the UK government and the Scottish government were at odds over independence). | |
| Sedwill says these meetings are normally information sharing meeting. | |
| Sedwill says he is the line manager for the head of the civil service for the Scottish government and the Welsh government. | |
| But he says, in that situation, the first minister is equivalent to a cabinet minister, who is expected to get on with the permanent secretary of their government, but also equivalent to the UK PM, in that they have the final say. | |
| Q: So if the Scottish government managed to stop Brexit, you would have given the permanent secretary of the Scottish government five stars for implementing Scottish government policy. | |
| Sedwill says (jokes?) that that would depend on whether or not the Scottish government’s civil service deserved the credit. | |
| Q: Would you describe yourself as the line manager for permanent secretaries? | |
| Sedwill says he is their line manager. He conducts annual performance appraisals. | |
| He says he has had to have a conversation where someone’s performance was “off the pace”. | |
| Sedwill says he has had to tell permanent secretaries to improve their performance. | |
| The SNP MP Ronnie Cowan asks about Sir Philip Rutnam’s accusations against Priti Patel. | |
| Sedwill says there is a limit to what he can say. He says Rutnam has threatened legal action, although he has not initiated that yet. | |
| Q: But where could someone like Rutnam go with a complaint like that. | |
| Sedwill says, speaking generally, a permanent secretary could take it to him. He might take it up with the PM. | |
| Q: Have you ever warned a PM before appointing someone to cabinet? | |
| Sedwill says his advice to the PM. But before cabinet appointments are made, he gives advice, based on what he knows. | |
| Q: Would that be a private matter if you were asked about that at an employment tribunal? | |
| Sedwill says he would have to take legal advice on that. But he would not expect to have to disclose that. | |
| Sedwill indicates that he would not want to tell an employment tribunal about any advice be gave to the PM before he appointed Priti Patel as home secretary. | |
| Sedwill says he regards the resignation of Rutnam as a “regrettable incident”. | |
| But he says he does not see the need for “further regulations” governing the relationship between permanent secretaries and cabinet minister. In most cases, the status quo works, he argues. | |
| Sedwill says he does not see the case for new rules governing official/ministerial relations in the light of Philip Rutnam’s resignation. | |
| Q: What can a permanent secretary do if they are unhappy with their minister? | Q: What can a permanent secretary do if they are unhappy with their minister? |
| Sedwill says their job is to make this work. | Sedwill says their job is to make this work. |
| Sedwill says the job of officials is to give candid, honest, impartial advice, right up to the point where a decision is taken. | Sedwill says the job of officials is to give candid, honest, impartial advice, right up to the point where a decision is taken. |
| He says secretaries of state have a role in appointing permanent secretaries. | He says secretaries of state have a role in appointing permanent secretaries. |
| But they have tenure. If they did not, they would be under pressure just to tell ministers what they wanted to hear. | But they have tenure. If they did not, they would be under pressure just to tell ministers what they wanted to hear. |
| He says 99% of the time people manage these relationships. | He says 99% of the time people manage these relationships. |
| Q: What course of action would be available to a minister dissastisfied with her permanent secretary? | Q: What course of action would be available to a minister dissastisfied with her permanent secretary? |
| Sedwill says you would expect her to raise that with the official. If they could not raise it directly, he would expect them to raise it with him. | Sedwill says you would expect her to raise that with the official. If they could not raise it directly, he would expect them to raise it with him. |
| Q: A civil servant was quoted in the Sunday Telegraph saying that the convention is that, if the relationship between a senior civil servant and new minister breaks down, the official should move. Is that right? | Q: A civil servant was quoted in the Sunday Telegraph saying that the convention is that, if the relationship between a senior civil servant and new minister breaks down, the official should move. Is that right? |
| Sedwill says sometimes officials do move. | Sedwill says sometimes officials do move. |
| But he says the expectation is for officials and ministers to conduct themselves courteously. | But he says the expectation is for officials and ministers to conduct themselves courteously. |
| But if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. He would then take action. | But if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. He would then take action. |
| The Tory MP David Jones is asking the questions next. | The Tory MP David Jones is asking the questions next. |
| Q: There has been a lot of talk about one minister bullying staff. Do we need a definition of bullying for the ministerial code? | Q: There has been a lot of talk about one minister bullying staff. Do we need a definition of bullying for the ministerial code? |
| Sedwill says he himself may have been seen as “blunt and forthright”. | Sedwill says he himself may have been seen as “blunt and forthright”. |
| He says behaviour that might be acceptable towards an equal would be unreasonable if shown towards someone more junior. | He says behaviour that might be acceptable towards an equal would be unreasonable if shown towards someone more junior. |
| He says you can have bullying at junior levels too, between people on the same grade. | He says you can have bullying at junior levels too, between people on the same grade. |
| He says fortunately people are now more confident about reporting complaints about bullying. | He says fortunately people are now more confident about reporting complaints about bullying. |
| Sir Mark Sedwill is speaking now. | Sir Mark Sedwill is speaking now. |
| He says the job of the cabinet secretary is try to try to resolve disputes between ministers and civil servants. | He says the job of the cabinet secretary is try to try to resolve disputes between ministers and civil servants. |
| Q: Is there a formal process for restoring harmony? | Q: Is there a formal process for restoring harmony? |
| Sedwill says there is no formal process. But he tries to ensure the top team is working together. | Sedwill says there is no formal process. But he tries to ensure the top team is working together. |
| If there were a complaint about a minister, just as if there were a complaint about anyone, that would be investigated. That might lead to behavioural advice - telling people what they should do. | If there were a complaint about a minister, just as if there were a complaint about anyone, that would be investigated. That might lead to behavioural advice - telling people what they should do. |
| Q: Would you recommend a secretary of state going for coaching? | Q: Would you recommend a secretary of state going for coaching? |
| Sedwill says he has not recommended that. But there are proposals for ministers to get training in how to deal with major projects. | Sedwill says he has not recommended that. But there are proposals for ministers to get training in how to deal with major projects. |
| Q: What about coaching for dealing with staff? | Q: What about coaching for dealing with staff? |
| Sedwill says he has not recommended that, but that might be an option. | Sedwill says he has not recommended that, but that might be an option. |
| Sedwill does not rule out recommending coaching for ministers who need advice on how to deal with staff. | Sedwill does not rule out recommending coaching for ministers who need advice on how to deal with staff. |
| William Wragg, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, asks the first question. He asks Sir John Manzoni why he is still in post. He was due to leave last year, Wragg says. | William Wragg, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, asks the first question. He asks Sir John Manzoni why he is still in post. He was due to leave last year, Wragg says. |
| Manzoni says it was decided that it was not a good time to leave. His term of office was extended to 31 March, he says. | Manzoni says it was decided that it was not a good time to leave. His term of office was extended to 31 March, he says. |
| The public administration and constitutional affairs committee hearing is just starting. | The public administration and constitutional affairs committee hearing is just starting. |
| There is a live feed here. | There is a live feed here. |
| The witnesses are Sir Mark Sedwill, who combines being cabinet secretary and head of the civil service with being national security adviser (a controversial arrangement, which may well come up) and Sir John Manzoni, the chief executive of the civil service. | The witnesses are Sir Mark Sedwill, who combines being cabinet secretary and head of the civil service with being national security adviser (a controversial arrangement, which may well come up) and Sir John Manzoni, the chief executive of the civil service. |
| Last week BuzzFeed published a lengthy article about Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, by Alex Wickham and Alberto Nardelli exploring how someone who was widely expected to be forced out last summer when Boris Johnson became PM has now made himself indispensable to Johnson and his most powerful adviser, Dominic Cummings. It is worth reading in full, and it may well come up in the select committee hearing. Here’s an extract. | Last week BuzzFeed published a lengthy article about Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, by Alex Wickham and Alberto Nardelli exploring how someone who was widely expected to be forced out last summer when Boris Johnson became PM has now made himself indispensable to Johnson and his most powerful adviser, Dominic Cummings. It is worth reading in full, and it may well come up in the select committee hearing. Here’s an extract. |
| Excluding Huawei from Britain’s 5G network will “significantly set back” the government’s ambitions to extend broadband access, a former chairman of BT has warned. As the Press Association reports, Sir Mike Rake, who now acts as an adviser to the Chinese tech giant, hit out at what he said were “ill-informed assertions” about the dangers of allowing the company access to the UK’s critical national infrastructure. In an open letter Rake said: | Excluding Huawei from Britain’s 5G network will “significantly set back” the government’s ambitions to extend broadband access, a former chairman of BT has warned. As the Press Association reports, Sir Mike Rake, who now acts as an adviser to the Chinese tech giant, hit out at what he said were “ill-informed assertions” about the dangers of allowing the company access to the UK’s critical national infrastructure. In an open letter Rake said: |
| Rake was speaking ahead of a debate this afternoon which will see Tory rebels try to defeat the government on an amendment saying that Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network should not last beyond the end of 2022. But it is not clear yet whether or not the amendment will be “called” by the Speaker - ie, put to a vote. | Rake was speaking ahead of a debate this afternoon which will see Tory rebels try to defeat the government on an amendment saying that Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network should not last beyond the end of 2022. But it is not clear yet whether or not the amendment will be “called” by the Speaker - ie, put to a vote. |
| Good morning. House of Commons select committees finally started sitting last week, and this morning much of Westminster will be focused on the public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC), where Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, is giving evidence. | Good morning. House of Commons select committees finally started sitting last week, and this morning much of Westminster will be focused on the public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC), where Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, is giving evidence. |
| Sedwill is the most powerful civil servant in Whitehall and even in quiet times his job is fascinating. More recently, for a host of reasons, he has found himself at the centre of the news agenda. This is what the committee is saying about the hearing. | Sedwill is the most powerful civil servant in Whitehall and even in quiet times his job is fascinating. More recently, for a host of reasons, he has found himself at the centre of the news agenda. This is what the committee is saying about the hearing. |
| In theory the hearing should be gripping. But in practice - well, maybe not. Cabinet secretaries are a bit like the Queen; they may know everything, but they have also perfected the art of speaking at length in public without giving anything much away. We will find out soon whether PACAC has enough guile to tempt Sedwill into making news. | In theory the hearing should be gripping. But in practice - well, maybe not. Cabinet secretaries are a bit like the Queen; they may know everything, but they have also perfected the art of speaking at length in public without giving anything much away. We will find out soon whether PACAC has enough guile to tempt Sedwill into making news. |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 9.45am: Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, gives evidence to the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee. | 9.45am: Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, gives evidence to the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee. |
| 11.30am: Matt Hancock, the health secretary, takes questions in the Commons. | 11.30am: Matt Hancock, the health secretary, takes questions in the Commons. |
| After 12.30pm: MPs begin debating the remaining stages of the telecommunications infrastructure (leasehold property) bill. As my colleague Kate Proctor reports, Tory rebels wants to force a vote on an amendment that would force the government to remove Huawei from the UK’s 5G network by the end of 2022. | After 12.30pm: MPs begin debating the remaining stages of the telecommunications infrastructure (leasehold property) bill. As my colleague Kate Proctor reports, Tory rebels wants to force a vote on an amendment that would force the government to remove Huawei from the UK’s 5G network by the end of 2022. |
| 3.15pm: John Bercow, the former Commons Speaker, speaks at a conference on Parliament and Brexit. | 3.15pm: John Bercow, the former Commons Speaker, speaks at a conference on Parliament and Brexit. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary when I wrap up. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary when I wrap up. |
| I will be covering some Westminster coronavirus developments, but our main coronavirus coverage is here, on our special live blog. | I will be covering some Westminster coronavirus developments, but our main coronavirus coverage is here, on our special live blog. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |